The Right to Rule
by Axolotlmann
Summary: The great Dragons are not willing to bow to Raavas rule so easily. As Ozai names himself Phoenix King the Dragons are slighted and a different ruler rises on the Day of Sozin's comet. Fire heals the spirit by burning the imperfections away and with the war far from over Azula has a great legacy to live up to. The last heir of Sozin rises and leaves her mark upon time.
1. Dragontouched

_The first chapter of my first longer english story. In which Fire heals the mind as Water heals the body. And a brief history of the Fire Nation as told by Azula._

Azula couldn't sleep. She was restless, frustrated and angry. The low glimmering embers in her fireplace would sporadically erupt in an angry shower of blue flames, whenever her thoughts wandered to her father and how he left her, how he betrayed everything he should stand for to chase his personal dreams of an empire, leaving her behind with a title he made meaningless.

She stood up, her lose robes sweaty and crumbled from her tossing and turning.

Betrayal. Again.

Again and again she was betrayed by the very few people she thought trustworthy. Zuko she had expected. She didn't expect things like loyalty or patriotism from him anymore. He spent to much time with Iroh and his tea, letting himself be fooled by the old mans friendly and jovial facade,couldn't see the shrewd manipulator beneath.

She may not have liked Iroh, hated him even, but she could not deny that he was a dangerous man and not only for his formidable firebending.

Mai on the other hand, she could not say that Mai's betrayal had not taken her by surprise. They were friends and Azula hated to admit but maybe she hadn't known Mai as good as she thought she had. Maybe Mai's facade was an even better one than hers.

As much as she loathed to admit it, Azula could see it when she made a mistake. The problem was that this mistake was a dramatic one. The bruises Ozai gave her for letting Zuko escape still hurt, when she moved to abruptly.

She had underestimated Mai's... not love, Mai might think she loved Zuko but Azula knew her better than that. Mai was an opportunist with surprisingly more spine than Azula had thought.

She shook her head. Azula didn't know what to think of Mai anymore.

Maybe she should speak to her in prison, acknowledge the friendship they once shared.

But it hurt. It hurt to think about Mai or Ty Lee. Especially Ty Lee, cute, friendly housebroken Ty Lee, the last person she expected betrayal from. But it was her, eager Ty Lee, who struck Azula down from behind when she faced of with Mai.

It hurt a lot to think about those two. Almost as much as her fathers flame as he punished her for her failures. Ty Lee's facade might have been even more perfect than hers or even Mai's.

Azula thought she knew the depths of Ty Lee's Mind. She knew that she wasn't as shallow or stupid as she pretended to be. The princess of the Fire Nation did not suffer fools lightly, nor did she call them her closest friends. She knew that there was more to Ty Lee but Ty Lee was good, very good. There was a reason Azula used her as a spy and Infiltrator, because she could even fool Azula with her mask of joy and stupidity. It seemed she was too good at faking emotions.

Azula only ever had two friends and she had selected them carefully. It wasn't exactly love. Azula had difficulties feeling things like that, but Mai and Ty Lee were her companions for a long time, for a war, they were to young to fight, for lonely nights in the wilderness, for hunting the most dangerous bender on the planet and conquering the unconquerable city Ba Sing Se.

They had shed blood, tears and sweat together and it bonded them together. Shallow Ty Lee shared deep bonds with the cold and unfeeling Mai and the cruel and callous Azula. They were her truest confidants, redefining her thoughts with dry snark and boundless enthusiasm. All that was broken now. Bonds severed and friendships nothing but ashes. Azula was all alone. They left her when it counted, showing once again that only fear could hold people together. Their bonds were not enough, and because of them they didn't fear her.

Azula snarled and the flames in the fireplace turned blue again, hissing and burning as her anger did.

It was difficult to hold her thoughts together. She mulled over a thousand plans and dismissed them all, wishing she had Mai's cold logic and Ty Lees knowledge of emotions her to help her think of a way to turn this mess into something where she wouldn't be reduced to a powerless pawn, all alone in this palace.

"I love Zuko more than I fear you." Zuko, always Zuko. Mai's stupid Ideas of being in love, Ty Lee's lies about love, it seemed to be the center of all her problems. Azula was often called heartless, but only now she wished she truly were. Then it wouldn't hurt so much.

"I love Zuko more than you." Like mother. Like father wished he could. Like Iroh. Mai and Ty Lee were only the last of a long line who loved stupid, useless Zuko more than her.

 _But I love you. Azula"_ , whispered the voice in her head, the one that sounded like her mother.

"Shut up!", Azula snarled furious, at her mother, Ty Lee, at herself and at her father for leaving her out of what would have been her triumph.

Suddenly she couldn't bear to be in her room anymore. She ripped the door open and stopped outside in the hall panting and looking down the open corridor, her claustrophobic attack slowly ebbing away as moonlight fell out of the high window and bathed her in a softer glow than the unconquered sun or her own icy flames could have done.

She hated it. The moonlight was soft, silvery and melancholic, symbolizing everything she hated, everything she had lost. With hasty steps of her bare feet on the polished floor Azula passed columns of ivory and alabaster, read velvet curtains and tapestries, embroidered with gold and silver, showing Images of dragons, fire and great battles.

It was a warm night, even by Fire Nation standards. The capital, located in the caldera of a resting volcano wasn't as warm as some of the islands, who were covered in jungle or rocky deserts, where the air grew so hot that it distorted, but it had a very tropical climate still.

And even then, Azula was still a fire bender. The cold never bothered her anyway.

And so her feet brought her deeper in the heart of the ancient palace, rebuild by Fire Lord Iroh, when the volcano destroyed half the city four hundred years ago and since then maintained and improved by the following Fire Lords.

She passed the giant portraits in the hall of memories, where long dead Fire Lords were remembered with their images as high as six men, all of them staring with grim eyes down at her, their unlucky successor.

It started with Iroh, behind him the burning palace, the loss of so many and his noble fight against the incoming tide of magma. Iroh was portrayed as a very large man, with hands like shovels and only one eye.

He lost one in an Agni Kai with his predecessor, Fire Lord Imria who was called the Dragonborn when he challenged her over her cruelty. He was a compassionate man who loved nothing more than his son Azhor, the next in line.

Azhor, protector of the faithful, lost his eyesight because of the volcano and it was under his rule, that the church of the dragons and the fire sages were gifted with their own island and the great temple was built. A temple that was now empty and cold, as neither Sozin nor his son cared much for religion.

Or dragons for that matter.

Iroh and Azhor were portrayed with a red and a golden dragon rolled at their respective feet, their companion and most loyal friend.

The next Fire lord in line was Azhor's niece Aya. She was a Fire lord Azula had always admired. Aya killed her older brother in an Agni Kai for the throne and founded the order of the imperial firebenders, as a knightly order in service to no one but the royal family.

It was said she got the idea from Avatar Kyoshi's Dai Li and like Kyoshi she was ruthless and cruel. It was her who upped the punishment for betrayal and capital crimes to almost draconian levels. It was said she only ever loved two things in her life, her Nation and Kyoshi and thank the dragons she never had to choose.

Azula stopped at her portrait, and admired it, the black dragon at her feet, crumbling city's and a lot of blood in her back, back to back with a green robed figure that could be none other than Kyoshi.

An inspiration for sure. When Kyoshi died, Aya followed a few months later, from a broken heart as people said.

Her sisters son Ozhar didn't have a tapestry, because he ruled for less than a year, before his weak condition and sickness killed him, but his brother in law Sozin, the founder of her own line, led the Nation into a new age of war. The comet with his name over his head, the war at his back and the corpses of Avatar Roku, a sky bison and his own blue dragon at his feet.

What might Roku have felt at his best friends and probably Lovers betrayal? Was it what she felt now? Was he alone when his fiery end came, left by the one person that meant the most to him? Azula sympathized with the last Avatar. Betrayal was a terrible thing, she knew that now, be it for false love or ambitions.

Azulons portrait showed war and not much else, no dragon, no politics, only war and not much else. Azula had known her grandfather as a strong, dangerous presence even her father feared, until his death by her mothers hand.

She didn't even look at her fathers image, staring at her with disapproving eyes.

A disappointment, like Zuko, more than Zuko, who never had any potential at all. A Fire Lord, left behind with the title she always desired, just as the position became meaningless under the rule of the Phoenix King. The ancient and noble position of Fire Lord was reduced to nothing more than a glorified steward, without the real power that normally came with the position.

Azula clenched her fists at her side and the fires in the hall turned blue and seemed to whisper and hiss in harmony with her seething anger. She ignored the voice of her mother screaming after her and almost ran down the narrow stairs at the end of the hall of memories, the stairs that led to the Dragonbone catacombs, where she ignited the torches in the wall with a flick of her wrist.

The dead Fire Lords rested down here since Azulus the Great and the downfall of the priestkings. Azula's boots left imprints in the floor, that was covered in a thin layer of ash.

She motioned for the two Dai Li Agents, that had shadowed her since she left her room to stay here. That place was not for Earthbenders to see.

The corridor was drilled through the hard rock of the volcano a long time ago and here near the surface the walls were covered in gold-filled carvings of spirits of fire, like the immortal Phoenix, greater dragons and depictions of the unconquered sun, that glittered in the blue light of the torches.

There were seven niches in the front and seven in the back, four to the right and three to left plus one empty one. The niche, that would hold Ozai's ash, carved in the stone the day he became Fire Lord. The stone of a coffin that would remain forever empty was carved in his likeness and Azula laughed a bit when the light of her flame washed over his lifeless visage. His urn would be commissioned the day he died, depicting his great deeds and his ash would forever rest in the hands of his likeness in white marble.

The next grave down the line was Azulon, who was rather old when he became Fire Lord, which was why his aged face in marble looked eerily familiar to Azula, who remembered the grim face of her grandfather and namesake from her own childhood. She also remembered his pride after her performance in the throne room and the sweet cake he gave her on that day as a reward, together with a crimson cape, embroidered with dragons. She still kept it, even tough she had long since outgrown it, as a reminder.

Ozai had never rewarded her.

His urn and coffin depicted scenes of war, but it showed him also as a patron of marriage and also the great gates of Azulon he had built to protect the harbor of the capital. In his niche the floor was littered with the weapons of his enemies, earth kingdom broadswords, boomerangs of the Water Tribes, spears, bolas all rotting and rusting as a show of his victories.

"We are born from fire and given back when our flame goes out.

We are the children of dragons", Azula whispered a quick prayer for her grandfather.

Now she sympathized with him. Back then, when her thrice cursed mother killed him he was a necessary sacrifice for her fathers ambitions. Like she was now.

Her steps took her farther to Sozin's niche. The ground was cluttered with bones, which were, as Azula knew, the remains of the Airbenders her great-grandfather slaughtered at the day of the first Sozin's comet. The comet that was approaching very fast again.

His coffin was the first one that had a dragons skull to it's feet, the remains of Sozin's blue dragon Irrah, the last of her kind and nest-sister of Fang, Avatar Rokus dragon. The skull was a bit bigger than Azula, small for a dragon, even in the modern times and a far cry from the greater dragons of old. It was said that the great wild dragon Sindri, who killed the last god-king of the Sun Warriors had been as big as the whole city and his wings darkened the sky on the day he attacked it.

Sozin's Urn showed him on Irrah, fighting Roku, an Airbender on a bison and the comet in various forms.

Azula spared the niches on the left only small glances as she passed them.

Ozhar, whose niche was depressingly empty, Aya with her sword on her chest, the elegant long blade a gift from Kyoshi, and her dragons skull at her feet, much bigger than Irrah's.

Then Azhor, with the insignia of the fire sages and his priestly staff. The eyes of his marble face covered and his golden dragons skull to his feet, and Iroh the protector with the rubble of the old palace in his niche.

Azula followed the path deeper into the catacombs. The decorations on the walls made way for smooth black walls, the tunnel burned into the rock with dragonfire. The next chamber held eight niches, the Dynasty before Azula's and Sozin's, the ones directly descended from Azulus.

Imria III, the Dragonborn who died without children in an Agni Kai against the first Iroh. The skull at her feet an absolute giant, easily as tall as the whole chamber and with teeth as long as Azula's whole legs.

After her Azulus III., who decreed that every firebender had to serve a time in the military, and Razai, who destroyed the old city of Omashu with his red dragon. That earned him the eternal hate of the earth king Bolin II. Even long after the war ended.

Azula smirked. Even he and his great dragon couldn't touch Ba Sing Se. At least for that, she would be remembered forever.

The last Fire Lord on this side was his father Ozhar, known as the shipbuilder, for it was him, who made the Fire Nation the great power at sea that it still was today.

On the left there was Azulus II., the Alchemist, more scientist than king and more scholar than firebender. Before him came Azahai, who destroyed a revolt of the nobility with an army of nonbender-volunteers, which brought him his name: the Lord of steel. His father Azulon the lawgiver, a wise and cunning man who bound the nobility and the clerics to the Fire Lord for generations and paved the way for the modern legal system of the Fire Nation.

The next niche was bigger than the others, for it held two coffins. There was Azulus the Great. He was the one who ended the reign of the cult of Agni, killed the last high priest and distributed the belongings of the church to the families who would later become the high nobility of the Fire Nation. Next to him his lover Imria, the last Fire Lord from the line of Vanir the Uniter and until her death in an Agni Kai against the High priest, whose name was purged from all records, a puppet of the church of Agni. Their story was a tragedy and one of the most reinterpreted in the whole Nations, be it in song, poetry, theater or writing. Every educated citizen knew the story and it was accepted as the source of the Fire Nations love for tragedies.

But something drove her deeper into the catacombs into the next chamber, through blank walls forged by Dragonbreath and into then chamber of Vanir's heirs, the first Fire Lords.

Azula knew them by name, it was part of her thorough education as an aristocrat and princess but not much more. Their reigns were a long time ago in a wilder, more uncivilized time, when communication between the nations did not exist, the Avatar was nothing but a legend of times when spirits roamed the lands with humans and fire was a new gift.

There were six Fire Lords in here, not burned but buried in their coffins, without their images, nothing but marble, decorated with flames and dragons, most of their grave offerings long since decayed or plundered and only the skulls of the monstrous dragons remained, that never left their side.

There was Vanir, the Uniter. First Fire Lord, who took the ruins of the Sun Warriors empire and the scattered tribes on the isles and forged a new Nation from them. It was said, that the ancient dragon Skreeva, taught him the forgotten art of Firebending, so that he could rule over the isles and the tribes. Skreeva's skull towered over Azula, big enough to swallow a komodo-rhino whole, far far bigger than her descendants, a monument for the glory of the old days.

His son Vanros followed his example and brought the last isles and tribes into the fold. His daughter Imria made first contact with the mainland and the three earth empires of Omashu, Gaoling and the grand city state of Ba Sing Se. There was no friendship but mutual respect and careful trade. Under her and later her brother Vemrir trade was opened with the Air Nomads, who were very welcomed guests in those times for their exotic goods and interesting stories.

The first contact with the water tribes was not as peaceful. Vanros II. Vemrir's son led an expedition for punishment after the first exploration-vessel was destroyed by waterbenders. Vanros died in battle and his son Velteros forged an uneasy ceasefire with the watertribes but there was never much love lost between the two people. The southern water benders gave the Fire Nation a much warmer greeting and opened trade. Velteros' son was murdered by the Fire sages and the story of his daughter Imria was Azulus story.

A long line of Fire Lords rested beneath the mountain and Azula feared she could be the last one. How long until her noble title was unnecessary and forgotten,cast aside for a new line of Phoenix Kings, as nothing more than a glorified steward until the next king or the one after that would abolish the title completely?

The apparition of her father nodded smilingly, the one of her mother reached out to her: "I never wanted that life for you anyway."

"You never wanted me in the first place", Azula bit back and stepped up to the enormous skull at the end of the hall.

Azula caressed Skreeva's gigantic teeth carefully marveling at the sharpness, even after two thousand years. All of that history, all of that knowledge only served to further infuriate her. All that history for nothing. With a curse she send a circle of blue flames against the skull, cursing the dragons, the Fire Lords and most of all her father.

She was rather shocked as the circle expanded grew and the eyes of the skull lit up in an eerie blue glow, the flame in the bones making it seem almost alive. She rushed out of the way and landed unceremoniously on her behind, as the flames grew and grew, the skull rose from his eternal rest. The flame, now not longer only blue burned with many colours as it formed a body for the dragon, with giant claws of white fire, sun fire-wings and eyes, glowing the colour of stars. Every scale on the long body, that filled the whole chamber was a flame, burning in another colour, creating a grand and terrible spectacle that left Azula fearful and in awe.

Azula kneeled, not because she wanted to, in fact every fiber of her being wanted to refuse, to keep standing, but the flames of the spirit seemed to seep into her very soul, making her knees weak and forcing her to the ground in reverence.

The great spirit towered over her, the Dragon's skull shining in the light of multi colored flames.

When it spoke it's voice vibrated into every fiber of her being, licked at her like small pricklng flames, engulfed her like a terrible inferno. It was a deep, vibrating voice, whose tone seemed to do everything at the same time. It flattered her, tore her to pieces, threatened and made her feel warm inside.

"I greet you, daughter of dragons." His head swayed like that of a giant Monitor-snake, hypnotizing and enticing her. "Come closer! Bask in my glory!"

The serpentine body of flames slithered around her, until Azula was completely surrounded, the enormous head hanging directly over her. She raised her head, remembering her position and stood up carefully, the arms wide spread and the knees lightly bend in a gesture of reverence. She tried to speak, but she didn't manage it, the apparitions of her mother and her father screaming in her head, her father in agony and her mother screaming at her to run, to accept fate, to embrace her destiny, Zuko's destiny.

The spirit roared and it was a roar from an older world, primal and haunting, like dancing stars mirrored in the sea or a great volcano erupting far far away. The apparitions were silenced and began to fade, not waiting but gone for the first time since Azula was left behind.

"The chatter of hallucinations is not something a Fire Lord should listen to, daughter of dragons", the spirit chastised. "Especially when they come from a mind like yours." Another layer of flames circled Azula, now in the constricting grip of the burning dragon. And still Azula didn't know what to say. She was in awe, desperately trying to not show her weakness and failing as tears started to glisten in her eyes.

"You don't need to speak", the dragon said quietly. "I can see your spirit as clear as your body. It is a dragons spirit, cruel, greedy and thirsting for power. But it yet lacks the majesty and understanding, the passion of a true dragon."

He chuckled and it was a terrible noise, like standing right next to the engine of a battleship.

"Be thankful for that. Dragons are spirits and spirits play by the rules. All spirits. Even the great spirit of the world."

Azula finally found her voice again: "And what do you want with me, great spirit? Are you here just to taunt me, the last Fire Lord, before I fade into insanity?"

"On the contrary, daughter of dragons. We are upset with your line, that much is true, but stupidity among humans is hardly a new thing and we would have weathered it. Still there is a problem. Your father betrayed the pact. And that needs to be punished."

Azula breathed in sharply. When the spirit decided to dispose of her she didn't stand the smallest of chances. She had only felt so small when she was a little girl and kneeled before her fathers throne, crying and bleeding... A rush of flames destroyed the unpleasant memories and she looked up to the dragon spirit, tears in her eyes.

"Your fathers have forsaken their duty and the dragons, your brother has become a puppet for the great spirit of the world. But we are not ready yet to end our pact with the Fire Lords and fall in line behind Raava and Vaatu."

He growled and reared his head back, obviously displeased.

"Why fight, daughter of dragons, when there is no passion behind your flames, why follow, when you do not believe and why struggle against the bonds of time? Do you live, simply out of simple fear of death? Or do you want to be something great, like you promised us in your prayers when you were but a child?"

Azula's eyes widened. "You were there...", she whispered.

"We were always there. The dragons did not abandon your line, your line abandoned us. Some of us wished to choose your brother, to leave your spirit broken and for you to fall as a actuality of a new, better Fire Nation. But the balance of the great spirit is not our way. Our way is one of passion, of flames of a new age. Zuko would have bowed his head to the Avatar, a defanged dragon, a pet beast, never to fly again. I expect more wisdom of you, daughter of dragons."

He looked down on her. "Kneel", he spoke. And Azula kneeled, her face in the ash on the ground and her mind a swirling mass of flames.

"The dragons will give you a second chance Fire Lord. Do not draw our ire by wasting it. Do not become your father, all war and destruction. That is not fires nature. Do not become your brother, all compassion and waving in the wind. That is not fires nature. Do not stay on your current path, a scattered ember almost burned out. That is not fires nature.

You will be more than that, a complete flame, a true dragon, a ruler. That is if you succeed. Fail and the Avatar will ravage your spirit, and condemn your soul to the lost garden of fog, from where there is no escape until faceless Koh finds you and your torment will be eternal."

Azula was now bathed in flames, that did not burn her, the giant skull directly in her face and she took a deep breath.

"Why?", she asked. Why offer me this chance, why not destroy our line and seek for a new pact. You don't care for us, do not lie to me. You are a spirit. You play by the rules."

He laughed again, seemingly amused with her knowledge of his manipulation.

"All in due time, daughter of dragons. For now know this: Fire is the element of power, but do not stare to long into the flames, lest you be blinded by the light. And do not trust Raavas intentions. They are not as good as everyone would like to think."

"Your cryptic warnings are not helpful, spirit", Azula said standing up and straightening her back. "But I will accept your gift. For the sake of my nation. I refuse to let it and it's traditions fall to ruin, through the stupidity of my father and brother not the frailty of my own mind."

"Very good, daughter of dragons. Then raise your head high, little ember, and accept my flame. Never again shall you bow until your time comes and the sun shines before you. You are the emissary of dragons, sun-heir, Fire-daughter. You are the Fire Lord. And once again the dragons are with you."

The great skull exploded into colourful flames and for but a moment Azula saw the form of a great dragon in the flames, not skeletal or fiery but a real dragon with blue scales, majestic and grand, roaring into the sky. Then the flames descended upon her and seemed to devour her, filled her every being, ravaged and caressed her, passing through her body into her soul and mind, bringing pleasure and pain with them.

For Fire could heal, as water did but it healed not the body but the spirit and other than water it was not gentle, burning the imperfections away in terrifying, passionate agony.

Azula screamed, one moment in ecstasy, the next in excruciating pain. And as she was taken by the great dragon the fire in her soul bloomed again, roaring blue and in never known intensity. She did not know how long she lay there screaming until the flames receded and she laid on the cold stone, bared from the flames, her skin red and burned and her muscles sore.

But when she opened her eyes there was a fire in them and it was there that Lo and Li found her hours later, naked as the day she was born, but dragon touched, her golden eyes flaming bright and her blue flames dancing on her skin. And they fell to their knees, renewing their oath to their princess.

That's all for now. The next chapter will be uploaded when the third is done.


	2. A Traitors judgement

_Fire Nation Fun Fact:_

 _When Vanir united the tribes and city states that would later become the Fire Nation he had to bring a lot of different cultures into the Fold, that all were descended from the Sun Warriors. The burning cities of the north for example are a group of five city-states that hate each other. They were conquered by Vanir and his son after he found the abandoned capital in the volcano. They still hold a great deal of independence, even if they are sworn to the Fire Lord._

 _The burning cities are known to be decadent and overly luxurious even among the Fire Nation, with the biggest gaps between the rich and the poor. The southern islanders and even the mainlanders think them effeminate and useless but fact is that their Firebenders are known for their unmatched elegance. They are the kind of people who cause the ruling Fire Lord an endless amount of headaches, because of their love for independence and strange laws. Though they have mellowed a bit since Fire Lord Aya and her dragon had no patience for their bullshit anymore and burned half of Langxio's ruling district down._

* * *

 _The second chapter. In which Azula enjoys her newfound sanity and judgement is passed on the traitors._

* * *

Of course Azula's mind, fractured by her experiences, did not heal itself in a second. It was the new flame in her heart that gave her the strength to press through, to deny the hallucinations and to concentrate on ruling.

The days before her coronation were hectic with news from the legions with her father, Omashu and Ba Sing Se to sort out, preparing the ceremony and a hundred other small things. A Nation did not sleep and it also did not wait, even for the girl who would be Fire Lord.

And so Azula found the time to decide Mai's and Ty lee's fate after two days had passed and the Dragonlance and her coronation was due the very next day.

She nodded at the soldier who guarded the entrance to the dungeon located beneath the watchtower in front of the palace. A small garrison of soldiers was located there, more peacekeepers than actual soldiers. The garrison of the imperial Firebenders was to the south, a bit further to the edge of the Calderas crater, which meant that this watchtower was manned by veterans, who were honorably wounded and the scions of nobles, who wanted to play military but were too important to risk in the war.

The actual dungeon, while not beholden to such dangerous prisoners as the boiling rock, was still guarded by actual imperial Firebenders. The prisoners here were mostly political prisoners, but from time to time a truly dangerous prisoner would be held here as he awaited his sentence.

Iroh for example, before he broke out. And now Ty Lee and Mai, two of the most deadly individuals Azula knew beside herself and her father. The raw skill those two possessed was deadly enough but both of them were also scarily smart, to dangerous to be kept to long in one place. Mai's mind was like a knife, ice cold and quick on the uptake, while Ty Lee was very emphatic, able to know what other people were thinking and planning her own actions around that.

It was high time Azula dealt with her former best friends. And maybe she would be able to get some answers. Clad in a long dark cloak, under which she only wore a simple red tunic, she descended the narrow stairs.

The dungeon was dark but dry. Rot and mold were good to keep prisoners morale down, but it wasn't worth the effort it took to clean it afterwards and the storing of supplies was a nightmare, not to mention the health of the guards. Azula's guard's flames illuminated a narrow corridor, small enough that two men could hold it for a long time if a prison break ever occurred.

Arriving at the deepest level Azula dismissed her two imperial fire benders with a wave of her hand, who saluted, bowed and waited at the stairs, within reach if something went wrong but not near enough that they could overhear a normal conversation.

It was the last cell on the floor, protected by two thick doors, where behind bars on the cold stone floor Ty Lee and Mai were chained up. Ty Lees Hands and feet were strapped in big casts of iron, to offset her dangerous techniques, while Mai was chained to the floor her chains too short to reach Ty Lee. Both wore prison rags, their skin dirty and raw from the chains.

With her hair dirty and uncept, Azula thought, Ty Lee had no business looking as beautiful as she did in this moment, when her gray eyes flickered up to Azula and a slight shimmer of hope.

Mai on the other hand left out a scoff. "I thought you had forgotten us. Too busy now to deal with traitors yourself."

Azula shook her head. "I am. But I cannot leave your judgment to someone else. See it as my way to honor the bond we shared."

Mai snorted. "I am truly honored", she said sarcastically. Azula sighed. "I missed your snark. Still, I came to speak with you one last time before your judgment."

"Why?", said Ty Lee, who was unusually quiet in her corner, taking deep breaths as if she was afraid of something.

"Because we were friends", Azula said quietly.

Mai's eyes widened in surprise and Ty Lee let out a sob. "Azula what happened to you? Your Aura,it is terrifying."

Azulas golden eyes never left her former friends ones. "I had a revelation at may lowest point", she said. "But I am not here to talk about me." She leaned on the bars of the cell, arms crossed and glowering at the prisoners. "I wanted to ask you a question: Why? Why betray me and everything we accomplished? The three of us would have been great."

She glared at Mai. "You would have had a place by my side, Mai, your sharp wit and your ruthless cunning would have been most useful and the power you could have wielded would have been second to none in the Fire Nation."

Mai shook her head. "I needed some time to realize this, but it was never power that I was after."

"Clearly", Azula scoffed. "Love then? Friendship? Bonds that are different than the cold loveless household you grew up in? Do your new friends know the way you honor your friendships?"

Azula smiled coldly. "I would have been happy for you and Zuko, but why follow him into his doom?"

"You will never understand, Azula."

"It seems that way."

"Is that really everything?", Ty Lee asked dejected. "We were friends for so long. We did everything together. Tears flowed freely over her face. "We had our first kisses with each other, we led troops together, we killed together! We put ointment on your burns after your spars with your father. We comforted Mai when her mother screamed at her for being useless. You held me when I cried myself to sleep about my future!" Ty Lee was screaming at the end. "What happened?", she whispered after. "What happened?"

"That's what I am asking you", Azula growled. "Why Ty Lee? Why betray me for Mai and my idiotic brother?" Even Azula had difficulties holding back her tears. Ty Lee and Mai had been everything

"I would never betray you for Zuko", Ty Lee shouted. "But I couldn't watch you kill Mai. I just couldn't choose. Don't make me choose. I love you. I love you both!", she broke down sobbing.

Azula and Mai looked at each other and there was still some of the understanding their lifelong friendship brought with it.

"Did you ever really fear me?", Azula asked.

"I did fear you", answered Mai her gaze obscured by her uncept hair but Azula could hear the sadness in her voice. "I still fear you. But back then I loved you more than I feared you. At the boiling rock I just feared you. Now you hold my life in your hands and I don't know anymore. What happened, Azula?" She looked up and Ty Lees sobs quietened, awaiting her answer.

Azula sighed. "I had an epiphany. At my lowest point I broke and was saved. My mind is clear and my path is set."

"Does that mean you're different now?" asked Ty Lee.

"Different how?"

"Well, good", Ty Lee murmured.

Azula laughed. " This false Naivety doesn't suit you, Ty Lee. It may had boys swoon over you but it wasn't your innocence that drew me or Mai to you. You always were far sharper than you let on. What was it you said to me? Just act stupid and shallow and everyone will eat it right up?"

"I didn't mean it like that...", Ty Lee protested and Azula smiled sadly.

"I'm not who you remember, right?"

Ty Lee shook her head.

Azula sighed. "I am not who I remember either. Some things I held of high value are now nothing to me and other things I thought needless do seem important all of a sudden."She hesitated, for but a moment looking into these lovely, gray eyes and then speaking again, her voice growing louder and louder with each word:

"You asked if I was good now, Ty Lee. I say that I am sane now. The Dragons burned the madness out of me and let me be me for the first time since my mother betrayed us. I still hate my mother, my father, my uncle and my brother but I no longer hate myself. I still strife for perfection and power in all things, but I don't let it consume me. I still enjoy the pain of others, but it does not affect my reason. The dragons flame did not change me, it just remade me in their image. And I promise you, my oldest and most dear friends that I will bring this Nation to the glory it lost somewhere between the Avatars patronizing and the madness of my fathers. My house will rise again and the line of Azulus and Sozin won't end at the Avatars hand. I refuse to bow to the whims of a mad spirit with more power than sense."

Azula was breathing hard when she finished, a flame burning in her eye and her oldest friends looked at her as if they were seeing her for the very first time.

"And in this knowledge", Azula continued. "I will now judge your crimes. As it is my right as the acting crown princess of the Fire Nation and soon to be Fire Lord."

"Do your worst then, Azula", Mai said. "I made my decision. I will not beg for mercy."

Azula smiled. "I would be disappointed if you did."

She cleared her throat. "Mai not only did you aid in the escape of a known traitor and the Avatar you attacked a member of the royal family. The punishment for such capital crimes is death even with your noble status." Azula paused. "My father actually asked me, why you were still alive before he left. I told him that your noble status was deserving of a death by the sword and your own hands, not to be hanged like a peasant so that your body may be burned and you could redeem your family's honor. He punished me for overthinking on obsolete traditions that would not be needed in the new world." She rubbed her leg, where the rather large burns from that encounter was still not fully healed.

Mai snorted. "I don't give a shit about honor and my family even less."

"I know", Azula laughed. "What you see in my stupidly honorable brother I will never understand. Still, the noble daughter Mai dies today, with honor and before two witnesses." She gestured to Ty Lee and herself, while retrieving a bundle of white cloth from the folds of her mantle.

The blade that was wrapped in the pure silk was short, only as long as Azula's forearm. Other than the normal blades of the Fire Nation it was not curved and had two edges, with a very narrow point, to penetrate flesh easily. It's handle was wrapped with dark leather and black silk, an Onyx shining on the pommel in the cold light of Azula's blue flame. There was no sheath, it was only wrapped in hard leather

"When I was alone and on the edges of my sanity I ordered four blades made", Azula began. "One for each traitor. This was yours Mai".

Mai raised an eyebrow. "Four blades?"

Azula smiled. "For you, Ty Lee, Mother and Zuko. One blade to end the life of every traitor."

"It is a beautiful blade", Mai admitted.

If there was one person in the Fire Nation and the whole world who understood something about blades it was Mai. Trained in the way of the assassins of old Mai was known for carrying half her weight in blades on her person all of the times, swords, a lot of knifes, poisoned needles in her hair and everything that was sharp and dangerous.

"It is", Azula agreed.

"So how am I to die then?", Mai asked. "Should I split myself open with the blade, so my family's honor is not tarnished? I tell you now I have half a mind to drag them with me into the abyss, as a last fuck you to my worthless mother. I am sure you could marry my brother to some Lady at court so that the infant won't take the fall. And then my fucking house would be finished." She grinned. "That would be a great death."

She leaned back, her chains rattling as she did so closing one eye and regarding Azula, seemingly relaxed but her lifelong friend could see, that every muscle in her body was tensed and there was real fear behind her seemingly steely gaze. "Or will you take a page out of your ancestor Aya's book? Executing me yourself would suit you, though you certainly lack a dragon to feed me to. Still how did they say at the south pole, back when their Waterbenders were mighty? He who passes the sentence should wield the sword. Take my head, Azula and burn my body like you wanted at the boiling Rock. I am ready." Her eyes were glistening with tears.

"Do it before I start crying!", she screamed at Azula, who just raised an eyebrow.

Ty Lee was sobbing uncontrolled. "I never wanted this. Please Azula, please don't...", before losing herself in even more hysterical sobs.

"I always admired your bravery, Mai." Azula said. "You never broke like I did. I don't know if I could face my death with as much dignity as you do."

There was a flash of fire and a piercing scream from Ty Lee.

And as Mai opened her eyes her chains were cut in half, the molten steel still glowing from the terrible heat of Azulas blue flames. "Like I said. Mai died tonight." She stripped out of her black mantle, a simple, long cloak of fine linen and draped it over her still shaking friends shoulders. Then she took the dagger and held it out to Mai, hilt first.

"She took the honorable option and I took her head. Ty Lee and the imperial Firebenders captain Sui Feng were the witnesses. Her remains were burned according to traditions and will be given to her family, to be buried in all honor."

Mais hand came up slowly, her wrists red from the chains and her eyes teary. Azula released the dagger. "There is a merchant ship leaving in the morning for the provinces, the _Dreamchaser_. They expect a cloaked mercenary to join them for protection from pirates or enemy troops."

Azula dropped a heavy satchel with clinking coins in Mai's other hand. Then she kissed her on the lips. "Farewell Mai."

Mai touched her lips and looked into Azulas golden eyes, who could barely hold her tears back herself. "Azula I..."

Azula shook her head. "Don't Mai. If you would listen to my advice, you will find Zuko or someone else and settle somewhere peaceful in the Earth kingdom. Don't try to involve yourself into the war, don't thank me and don't come back. You had your chance for honor and glory by my side. Now you are just a common refugee. Don't waste my mercy."

Mai stood slowly, tucking the satchel and the dagger under her cloak and bowing to Azula one last time. For the first time in her life there was no mockery in her bow. For the first time her reverence for Azula was truthful.

She went over to where Ty Lee was still quietly sobbing and kissed her on her forehead. "Take care of our princess for me. And if the Dragons will it maybe one day we will be reunited."

"Would it be just like old times?", Ty Lee asked, smiling through her tears.

"Yes", Mai answered. "Just the three of us. Laughing, teasing Zuko and innocent kisses between the Fire lilies. Wouldn't that be beautiful?"

"It would", said Azula. "Goodbye Mai. You were my first friend."

And Mai left without a second look back, knowing that she discarded her noble life for love, not knowing if her decision was the right one. Still she regretted nothing.

"And so dies Mai of House Taijin", said Azula loudly. "As brave in death as she was in life. May she find the happiness in her next life that she could not find in this one." She winked at Ty Lee as the two imperial Firebenders joined her, Mai giving both of them thankful nods as she passed.

"See that the Lady Mai's remains are brought to her family", ordered Azula. "And fast forward the paperwork for the _Dreamchaser._ The ship will leave the port at first light."

Both soldiers saluted and turned around, leaving Azula and Ty Lee alone in the cell.

"Now what", purred Azula. "Shall I do with you?"

Ty Lee laughed. A mirthless, defeated laugh without real joy in it. It was a laugh no one would have ever expected to come from Ty Lee. "I don't know. I don't know anything anymore. I knew without a doubt that you would kill us down here. Now I can't read your aura and you showed mercy. Mercy. You never showed Mercy. Not for me, not Mai, not even the children in that convoy of refugees we slaughtered for you in Ba Sing Se. Azula the heartless was your name under the soldiers for a while, did you know that? Azula the mad, Azula the Flayer too, when you had your revenge for General Lao's death."

Ty Lee began crying again. "I was ready to die for you, Azula. I gave you everything you asked of me and more. I gave you comfort when your mother hated you, I gave you the spotlight when your ego could not handle being beaten by me. And you know that my inferior complex is almost as big as yours."

Azula snorted and the ghost of a smile whisked over Ty Lees face, before she lost herself in her tirade again: "I gave you my innocence when we set out as child soldiers for your fathers war and I gave you my maidenhood in the night after our first kills when you were drunk on power and I just wanted to forget. I would have given you my life too, here in this dungeon. And now.. and now. You are just different?"

"I don't have an answer for you,. Ty Lee. However I can give you a choice. You can follow Mai on board of the _Dreamchaser_ and life a quiet life in the earth kingdom, maybe join the circus again, a dead woman with a new life. Or I could offer you redemption. A period of service for your Fire Lord. I am in need of a left hand, someone who knows my darker side and can keep it in check. But also someone who knows when dark decisions are necessary. As you did not defy me in Ba Sing Se, because you knew but did so at the boiling rock when I lost myself to the voices."

"Voices?", Ty Lee asked quietly.

"You have no idea how terrified I am, Ty Lee. I fear they will come back and drive me back into insanity. I am free from them but I now they still linger, only sealed away, not destroyed."

"This is unfair Azula", Ty Lee shook her head. "How am I supposed to say no to you now?"

"So you will stay?", Azula asked.

Ty Lee hoisted her aching body up and took a knee. "Do you remember when we were five and we played? I swore myself to your service then, as loyal knight for a great princess. And I will do it again. Formally if you need me too."

Azula took her friends forearms and helped her to her feet.

"There will be no formality when it is just us. I will knight you as soon as I am Fire Lord. You will no longer be part of a matched set. You will command it."

"I don't care", Ty Lee said. "I'm staying for you. I will not abandon you now."

"You truly are a great woman, Ty Lee", said Azula before she planted a soft kiss on her soon to be knights lips. "I promise that I too will never abandon you again. You are a greater friend than I deserve."

Abruptly she turned around. "Come on. We have much to do before Sozin's comet and you need a bath." Muttering to herself Azula began ascending the stairs. Ty Lee smiled a soft, true smile. Same old Azula. till so terribly dramatic. Still hiding her tears behind that stone cold pragmatism of hers. But Ty Lee knew that her princess was crying as she followed her. And Ty Lee was glad to have the friend back, that she lost once to her cruel father and an unforgiving world. And she vowed to never lose her princess again. She had given the princess her life today. Ty Lee was a woman that stood by her words, be they given to herself or another

* * *

It was later that day, that Azula found herself reading reports of the reconstruction of Ba Sing Ses infrastructure and economy, that the useless earthking and the corrupt Long Feng had neglected for far too long, munching on cherries and getting her hair brushed by one of her handmaidens, the third daughter of a less important noble, who Ozai had wanted a bit of leverage over.

If Azula remembered correctly one of the richer houses of the southern Isles, not as noble and old as the Houses of Caldera, but with enough money to throw their weight around. A bit too much of this weight had been thrown around and so the Fire Lord had taken a ward from the family.

A great honor on paper, that would afford them great privileges and bragging rioghts, as it meant that the Fire Lord acknowledged their power. It also meant that he had a hostage, should the family turn against him. Nothing held people in line like threats to their children and the honor to serve the royal family could not be denied.

If the noble was cooperative his daughter would walk away with a lot of connections and maybe one or two useful alliances, if not... well most of the times the threat was enough. The last time someone disregarded the obvious gesture was in Sozin's time. After he killed his best friend and lover, when all traces of mercy had left the old Fire Lord. It was not pleasant.

Azula herself had done some unpleasant things in the war, they did not call her mad princess or the Flayer for nothing, but Sozin had them gutted like fishes, displayed on the palace walls and the innards thrown to his dragon in an open spectacle. His oldest ward had been twenty-three years old, the youngest had been a six year old girl. That made the conspirators so angry it was easy for Sozin to outsmart them and pick them of one by one when they made mistakes in their anger.

Azula was a bit glad she had not taken his path. Killing his best friend was only the beginning of Sozin's madness, after all.

Lost in thought and enjoying the handmaidens ministrations in her hair, Azula bit on another cherry and promptly hurt her teeth as she chomped on the pit.

She took the hard seed of the fruit between two fingers and held it up against the light.

"Huh. A Cherry Pit", she remarked.

"I'm sorry, your Highness", whispered the handmaiden quietly, her head bowed. "I must have overlooked one."

Azula waved her hand. "Forget it. It is rather wasteful anyway, to spend so much time on such a meaningless task." She flicked the Cherry Pit into the air and caught it again.

"Do you know, why their outer flesh is so delicious and their core, which contains the seed is so hard?"

The girl, surprised at being spoken to took a moment to answer. "Well it's because the birds eat the tasty flesh and the seed within. The birds fly and drop the seed with their excrements."

"You had a good education", remarked Azula.

"N-No", the girl denied hastily, blushing and stammering as if she had just realized who she had spoken to so familiar. "N-Nothing like the Royal Academy, your Highness. I just know a lot about animals."

Azula hummed, remembering an important detail. "Ah yes, your family breeds salamanders at the hot springs south of the volcano. My own steed came from your stables if I remember correctly"

Azula smiled lightly at the thought of the great, dark green and red beast she had broken when she was eleven years old. Salamanders were lesser draconoids, native to the southern jungles of the Fire Nation. They were smaller than a Komodo-Rhino, reaching only up to four meters in length, but a lot faster.

A Salamander was very intelligent and once bonded and broken by a good rider most loyal and ferocious in battle. Still because they were not only difficult to tame and breed, but also very dangerous to an inexperienced rider, most of the Fire Nation preferred Komodo-Rhinos, that were also dangerous but much less likely to challenge their rider for his authority.

Still Salamanders had another big advantage. They were lesser Firebenders, able to regulate their own Body Heat and able to withstand great heath, without the inherent fear of Fire most animals possessed, what made them invaluable as mounts for imperial Firebenders and fighting nobles.

And that made the families, who bred them rich during Azulon's time, so rich in fact that they managed to buy themselves into the lesser nobility.

The girls..., Azula kept calling her a girl, she was two years older than herself, but she seemed just so inexperienced,...family was known for breeding their salamanders for size and aggressiveness. Because Salamanders were useless as a beast of burden or for farm work the breeding of Salamanders had only really begun under Azulon for the war effort. Before that the creatures were mostly caught in the wild, which was not only dangerous for the captor, but also for the rider. A Salamander that was not raised by humans was unpredictable and even the captive bred animals killed riders that did not prove their dominance enough.

Azula loved Salamanders. They were true noble beasts of the Fire Nation, only surpassed by the lesser drakes of the most eastern isles and the great dragons of old.

"Yes I remember her", the girls face split into a broad grin. "She was the mist ferocious out of the whole clutch. Tried to bite me as soon as she hatched and ate two of her siblings before we could separate them. Is she doing well?"

Azula laughed and the girl quickly blushed as she realized her impudence. "F-Forgive me your Highness." Azula looked at the girl. She was not what the high nobility would consider a beauty but rather cute, her skin darkened from the days in the sun and her shoulders broader than seemly for the ladies in court. Her face had traces of freckles and her hair fell in dark brown curls down her back.

Azula found her rather endearing if she was honest.

"It is alright. Whip has been doing well, if rather bored as I had little time to ride her. Maybe you could visit her sometimes. I tried to have someone give her exercise but he almost lost an arm. If you think you can tame her, you may ride her out."

The eyes of the girl began to sparkle and she lost herself in an endless stream of thankful praises for Azula and her whole House and line. It was rather amusing. Her eyes were the dark brown of the southern Fire Nation natives, while the northerners tended to have lighter eyes and skin. Grey eyes like Ty Lees were rare and only common in a few families who were descendants of Air Nomads, that settled in the Fire Nation long before Azula's line took the throne.

Azula looked into the mirror opposite from her. Her own golden eyes were a rarity, only on Sozins line a constant. If another Firebender possessed the Dragon eyes it was most of the times seen as an omen of fortune for the child. Still Azula knew only of four children in her generation with the Dragon eyes, not counting her and Zuko of course, so she did not know if there was some truth to the rumors.

"Enough", said Azula and stood up. She looked at her hair in the mirror. The usual topknot that held the crown of the crown princess was larger and woven in it were two small braids that surrounded her whole skull and seemed to flank the crown.

"I-Is it alright?", asked the girl carefully. "I thought it would look nice but I can change it if her Highness wants me to."

Azula shook her head. "No I like it. It makes me look festive, even though it is not a warriors hairdo." She shrugged. "I am not fighting today and even so: I am the princess. What I wear becomes the newest fashion."

The girl laughed a bit. "That is true. There was a great number of girls who wanted to join the military after Iro Jawa. You were a role model for a lot of younger and older girls, noble and otherwise."

Azula turned to her. "You are growing bolder, when speaking to me", she remarked.

The girl began stammering again, but Azula just raised her hand. "I like it. What's your name?"

"Ming, your Highness."

"Nice, if a bit simple", purred Azula. "Think this looks good enough for the coronation tomorrow?", she asked not really towards Ming but more to herself. She went over to the window and looked out, the roofs of the capital glowing with the golden shine of the sinking sun.

Her gaze traveled farther, up the volcano and to the burning sky, where a few of the colourful Parrot-Lemurs that lived in the jungle flew, towards the gigantic colonies they build on vertical walls, where they licked of the clay full of healthy minerals.

Smoke rose up from the factories by the river, mixing with the smoke of the many Fires in the city and there was a soft noise, a murmur from the two Million people, who lived in the capital.

Azula let out a short laugh. "It is truly beautiful, isn't it?" she asked. "Our Nation?"

Then she clenched her fist. "I will not allow the Avatar to dictate our way of life. We are finally free and we will bring this gift to the other Nations. By force if necessary. I have waited for this moment."

Ming had slowly approached. There was a glimmer in the eyes of her princess, something that made her feel terrified and elated at the same time. It touched something deep within her. Confused as she was, she did the only thing that came natural to her. She bowed low, took a kneel and sent a soft prayer to the everlasting dragons and the unconquered sun.

Sozin's comet, a small, fiery speck of light now, but steadily growing bigger was soaring over the sky.

And Azula watched the sun sink behind the horizon, anticipating the moment it would finally be hers.

* * *

 _I used the cherry scene to write a bit of useless trivia about the Fire Nation. Those are all headcanons, feel free to make up your own._

" _Whip" is borrowed from Measuring each step towards infinity". Awesome fic, go read it!_

 _Do you like the Fire Nation Fun Fact? I think I will make one every chapter._


	3. Kinslayer

_Fire Nation Fun Fact: The worship of the great Dragons comes from the southern islands and the great plains of the mainland and is directly descended from the religion of the Sun Warriors, who sacrificed humans to the wild dragons, hoping it would reach the great Sun Dragon. Vanir outlawed human sacrifices, he had to few people for such practices. The cult of the unconquered Sun, which is commonly held in the burning cities and the capital is the other half of that legacy. In modern times however both beliefs are mixed together. Nobody but the Firesages really understands the whole Theology but the people are content to swear by both of them. Those who worship the eternal Fire are just considered weirdos though. What can you expect from a cult where the Avatar is one of their saints?_

 _The next chapter, which contains the last Agni Kai. Warning: You might not like this._

* * *

It was almost time.

Azula usually considered herself a rather patient person, at least when there was no incompetence in the play but she was as excited as a little girl. She could hardly sit still. There was something burning insider her, her own inner Fire roaring at her to move, to burn, to follow her passion, all the while Ty Lee, Ming and a group of servants added the last touches to her appearance.

Her ceremonial armor was a red surcoat, embroidered with golden dragons and the crest of her House. Over that on her shoulders and chest plates of hardened Salamander-leather, which was more resistant to heath than the leather of Komodo-Rhinos, if a bit less durable. Her gauntlets were of the same Material, but lined with steel and silver. They left her palms and her fingers free to keep the mobility and sensations in her Fingers at a maximum for Firebending.

The same was true for her boots of the same material, foregoing armor for mobility and her bending ability, which was Azula's greatest strength, should it come to a fight.

At this moment Ming was securing the heavy coronation robe over her shoulders with chains of gold, held together by a silver brooch, depicting two fighting dragons, with a big ruby between them. The edges of the cape were lined with the leather of frill-necked snakes from the eastern plains of the Fire Nation, which was known for it's bright red hide and very expensive leather. It was embroidered with dragons and flames in complicated templates, sewn on with silver threads.

Ming was blushing as she weaved the decorative silver chains through the hooks on the back of the brooch to secure the cloak. Azula did not notice, to lost in her thoughts.

Ty Lee, who was busy braiding Azulas hair into an elaborate topknot, while letting the rest fall free over her shoulders, however did notice. "Good Dragons Azula, what did you do to the poor girl?", she asked with mirth in her voice. "Seduced another innocent maiden with your vile charms?"

"I haven't seduced her yet", answered Azula, still lost in thought. The poor girls face went through several different shades of red, before settling on a colour similar to Azula's robes and Ty Lee roared with laughter, which shook Azula out of her quiet contemplation.

"What has you so distracted?", Ty Lee asked, after she had calmed down and Ming was done trying to disappear into the ground.

Azula, who had started to drift of again was almost startled by her words. "You can't feel it?" Then she corrected herself immediately. "Of course you can't. You are not a Firebender."

She sighed. "I feel almost feverish. My blood is boiling in my veins. My whole body is on edge."

"Why?", asked Ming, now again capable of speech.

"It's Sozin's comet , the Dragonlance as it was called before. It calls to me, to every Firebender, like a long lost lover. This is truly a blessed day", Azula said blissfully.

"Well of course, it's your coronation- Isn't this all you ever wanted?" Ty Lee took the hairpiece of the crown princess and secured the golden, flame shaped ornament on last time upon Azulas braided topknot.

"Yes", said Azula solemnly, as she wore this particular crown one last time.

The girls fell into a comfortable silence, that lasted a few minutes, before a knock on the door interrupted it.

"Come in", said Azula, her excitement surging again, her fire demanding to be unleashed.

It was the commander of her imperial Firebenders, a man called Jao Long, who served as commander of the fourth legion, before the first siege of Ba Sing Se, where he sustained an injury to his left leg, that left him with a noticeable limp and unfit for front line duty. Still he had a sound tactical mind, so Firelord Azulon refused to just let him retire and placed him in direct command of his own Elite Guard.

The imperial Firebenders were since the days of Fire Lord Aya around a thousand strong, recruited from the best Firebenders at the academies and trained from a young age on. They swore a knightly oath to the Fire Lord, even if they were not as personally bound than a normal knight to their liege lord. With the skull masks and the red armor they were known and feared among traitors, enemies and conspirators, because their loyalty lied only with the sun throne and nothing else.

That made the commander of this order a powerful political figure that had a lot of say in the question who exactly could sit on the sun throne. After all he had a thousand of the best warriors in the whole Nation under his command, most of them in the capital itself.

Azula did not like this situation at all. He was to powerful and to unchecked, with far too much respect for the old General Iroh for her to be comfortable with his continued command of her own Elite Guard. At least he was loyal enough to the line of Sozin to realize, that she was the last option for the throne but she would need to deal with him soon. It would not do for him to be swayed by her uncles manipulations, or her brothers, however minuscule, claim.

"Very well", she said. "Lead the way."

–

* * *

The great temple of the sun was the oldest building in the capital. The great eruption of the volcano had spared the holy place, which many of it's priest had seen as a sign, but had probably more to do with the position of the temple on top of a hill and under a great ledge of black stone, which shielded it from most of the lava. Only half of it was destroyed, when the crater exploded and gave it it's current, jagged form as the former magma chamber, where the city was rebuild in the crater itself.

The foundation and the back wall were still the original ones that Vanir had built after he rediscovered the lost capital of the Sun Warriors. The legend told he found the remains of the last Godking and his great dragon, who were killed by the black dragon Sindri, and buried them beneath the stone of the temple.

The facade was of an older design, less flames and dragons and more abstract carvings in the art and formed from black basalt, not the lighter sandstone used in most of today's buildings. It was held in good condition by the Firesages, even if one cold feel the sheer age of the building by it's dark majesty, pressing down on everything around it.

There were two altars by the temple. The newer one was inside, a grand thing of ivory and dragon bone, chiseled and decorated with crimson silk. It held the mummified heart of Skreeva, Vanirs dragon as a relic and it was said one could hear it beating in tandem with the fires beneath the earth, if one was spiritually aware enough. This was the altar that was used for services, for prayers and were the Firesages held their rituals.

The older altar was located on the steps in front of the temple. It was an undecorated slab of black stone, with sharp and cruel jagged edges. It had already stood there when Vanir found the capital, even though the rest of the temple had perished in Dragonfire. The ancient Sun Warriors used it to sacrifice humans to the dragons as a way to gain their favor. Under Vanir the worship of the lesser dragons ceased and the altar was since then used to crown every Fire lord from Vanir the Conqueror on up to her own father, when she herself kneeled behind him and saw the Firesage lifting the heavy crown unto his head.

It was not the same Firesage that stood behind the altar now, but he held the same crown as Azula slowly approached him. To the sides of the altar stood the high Nobles of the Fire Nation, the priesthood of the great Dragons and the available Generals of the Legions. All those who held a high position of power in the Nation, the people who would be swearing fealty to Azula after the ceremony and also the people who would undoubtedly begin plotting her downfall as soon as the oath had left their lips.

They were Vipers like that.

Still a skilled Fire Lord knew how to manipulate their hunger for power to their own gains and Azula had learned from the best. The snakes in the pit would not find her easy prey. She would begin asserting her dominance as soon as she was crowned. Ozai had been relentless and cowed them into submission with sheer brutality, where his father liked to appease the nobles with diplomatic marriages and alliances. She would have to make her course clear from the beginning to smother all thoughts and hopes of her being a weak Fire Lord in their cribs.

The Firesage was old, Iroh's age or a bit older. He had been one of her earlier Firebending instructors, teaching about the subtle spirituality of it, before she had surpassed him and learned directly from Ozai, but he remained her instructor for History and other important topics throughout

her education. Azula had liked him, especially because he was full of praise for her quick wit and

had no patience for Zukos mamas-boy bullshit.

Azula should do something nice for him after her coronation. The High Firesage was getting rather old and the since Azulus enforced strict regulations upon the cults the council of Firesages had to choose their leader from the candidates the Fire Lord suggested.

It had the added Bonus of ensuring the cults loyalty towards Azula. There had been some problems in the ranks of the priesthood, who didn't know how they should take the declaration that the great spirit of the world was a national enemy. Ozai had failed to address these issues, instead banishing the dissident Firesages on Roku's remote island. Azula would have to stress the importance of the dragons in the theology of the Fire Nation, with more focus on Fire itself instead of universal harmony. With the High Sage in her pocket that should be possible and quell the religious support the Avatar still held among the commoners.

Below the steps of the temple the commoners, the smallfolk and soldiers were gathered, a crowd of sheep for sure, but important sheep. Azula was not stupid enough to think she could rule without the approval of the common rabble.

Many a ruler had paid dearly for that mistake.

Luckily enough it was relatively easy to keep them happy. Their unimaginative minds couldn't really imagine treasures greater than three meals a day and as long as Azula provided that she would not have to face a riot. And the more creative among them were destined for greater things anyway.

Slow but surely Azula stepped in front of the altar, her red mantel flowing behind her like a flickering flame and the murmurs and whispers around the plaza were silenced.

The day was tinted red by the comet, looming just over their heads and the Fires along the plaza were burning higher than normal, stretching to the heavens for just a glimpse of the great Dragonlance.

One after another they turned blue after Azula passed them.

Normally affecting all these Fires would have been a feat of high concentration but under the influence of the comet Azula barely spared it a second thought. She would be the Fire Lord and the flames obeyed her by nature.

Her steps were slow and thoughtful as she approached the altar.

Behind it the Firesage as a representation of the faith.

To the left Jao Long as a representative of the military. He was holding a long sword, in a black scabbard, that was decorated with a single blue dragon. It was the blade that would be given to her as the Fire Lord , as a sign of authority over the military. She supposed she would have to have someone teach her. She never really had an interest in swords but she had to admit, there was something beautiful about them.

To the right of the altar stood Ty lee, as Azula's personal witness, in a truly beautiful dress of light pink silk, that left her taut stomach and her slim but muscular arms exposed, except a golden bracelet on her left wrist, that was mirrored by a similar one on her right ankle. Her hair was open instead of her usual braid and fell down her back in soft maroon locks, glistening in the blue firelight. A crown of red and orange Fire Lilys sat on top of her head and the Traitors blade was sheathed on her belt.

After Ty lee was freed she had commissioned a scabbard for the long knife, out of dark wood, engraved with Fire Lilys and birds. The knife itself had a handle of ivory, with a big, piece of amber in the pommel. Ty Lee had called it "Betrayal", as a reminder.

She smiled at Azula as she came closer.

The place behind the priest, where normally the closest relative of the newly crowned Fire Lord stood was empty. Azula had no heir, which was a problem that would have to be addressed fast. They were at war and she was not stupid enough to believe that the death of the Avatar or the burning of half the earth Kingdom at her fathers hands would end the war. It would just make the enemy desperate.

The moment was there and Azula could not help but feel exited. Political situations aside that was the moment she dreamed of since she had been a little girl, dressing up in her grandfathers big red mantle and dreaming of the burning throne, her dragon curled around her and the Suncrown in her hair.

A smile grazed her lips as she kneeled down before thew altar. Her hand on her heart and the other touching the cool black stone of the altar. Her heart was beating faster under her fingers ans shivers ran down her spine as the priest began to speak: "Who kneels before us, with the sun and the sky as a witness?"

Azula knew the answer since she was five years old, had studied all the rituals and ceremonies and imagined herself in them. Her dream was finally coming true.

"Azula, daughter of Ozai", she answered. Her voice carried over the plaza to the people below, who were eerily quiet. They had been quiet to, when Ozai crowned himself Phoenix King, but that had been because they did not know what to make of it. Where they still the Fire Nation? What about the dragons? What would happen now?

Their silence now was one of awe. This ritual they knew and it had been holy since thousands of years.

"What claims do you bring with you?", the Firesage asked. This was a relic of the times when more than one candidate was deemed worthy of the throne and both had to defend their claims in a trial. Most of them ended with an Agni Kai but it was Tradition.

"I bring my Name and Family, the honor of the Line of Sozin and Azulus", Azula began. Family was always important and her family had been Fire Lords for a long time. The nobles didn't like upstarts and coming from a line blessed by the dragons would thwart the more half hearted attempts to overthrow her.

"I bring my dedication and my victories for our Nation as the conqueror of Ba Sing Se and Iro Jawa". And what an accomplishment that was. The grand city of Ba Sing Se had never been conquered in it's whole history and she, Azula had done it, without an army and without a dragon, just with her cunning and a clever plan. Grand military victories mattered greatly. Nobody wanted a Fire Lord who could not defend it's Nation and it kept the Military happy to know that one of theirs sat on the throne. It also worked as a threat. Everyone knew what she had done in Iro Jawa at her first real command. People would think twice to mess with Azula the Flayer, a title she had earned at eleven years old.

"I bring my Fire", she said slowly, the blue Flames in the torches around the plazas still stretching their tips towards the comet. "The blessed Flame of the black Dragon, as proof of our contract."

The priests would love this. Even though their words carried little weight in Ozais court, her blue Fire had been the subject of a lot of theological debate among the faith. Reestablishing the priesthood in the capital and having an open ear for their suggestions should keep them loyal enough.

"Your claims are heard", the priest continued. "And they are judged valid. I ask you Azula, daughter of Ozai, would you accept the crown of the Fire Nation and all the burdens that come with it?"

"I do", Azula whispered.

"Do you swear to uphold the law at all times, to honor the great Dragons, the unconquered sun and the eternal Fire, to show mercy to those who deserve it and bring justice to those who don't? Do you swear to defend your people and your Nation to the very end and even beyond death?", the priest asked farther, speaking the words that were a new addition to the oath, Vanir once made to Skreeva, after he was given the Fire again.

"I swear", answered Azula slowly. "I will be the first to take up the sword for the Nation and I will be the last to fall for it. I swear to honor the traditions and the dragons and I swear to weed out injustice and dangers to my people in what form they may appear!" her voice had grown louder as she spoke and with each oath she could feel the flames in her heart burn higher and celebrate her dedication.

Then came the formula of Vanir, the oath every child of the Fire Nation would know by heart, as the sage spoke:

"Night falls and fear overcomes peoples heart!"

"And I am the spark, that lights their Fire anew", Azula answered him, giving every word meaning.

"Beasts and spirits are preying on the innocent, that lost their path"

"And I am the Flame that lights their way for them!"

"Your people are suffering beneath the dark cloak of Tyrants!"

"And I am the Fire that burns away the Dark!"

Azula lifted her head, said Fire burning in her eyes and her heart as the priest raised the great golden crown. Ty Lee had stepped behind her and gently took away her current crown, laying the piece of gold upon the altar with reference. Instead the great suncrown in form of an asymmetric flame was lowered unto Azula's head.

"With the the dragonlance and the people of this Nation as witness, I hereby crown you Fire Lord of this Nation. Primarch of Caldera, Chief of the eight great jungle tribes, Ruler over the eastern plains and the northern mountains. Daughter of Dragons and High priest of the unconquered Sun, commander in chief of the Fire Nation military and High King of the volcanic islands and the burning cities, blessed be her Flame."

He raised his hands and bellowed out: "Rise, Fire Lord Azula. Rise and never kneel again."

And she did. She stood up, the crown heavy on her head and turned around, towards the people before her, her nobles, her soldiers and her citizens. Behind her the priest, the commander and Ty Lee kneeled.

"Hail, Fire Lord Azula!", yelled Ty Lee. The call was answered from the crowd and soon a roar was surging through the masses, chanting her name. It was a gesture of hope, of the yearning for a Fire Lord that was less disinterested than Ozai had been. It was a deal, Loyalty for guidance through troubled times. After Ozai's declaration the people now longer knew their way in these tiring times.

Azula would have to lead them.

She spread her arms wide. Time too sooth their fears and fan their promises. Sheep are easier led when they are happy.

"People of the Fire Nation", she began. "This is a time of unrest and of great changes. I swore to protect and lead you in these tiring times and I will promise you this...", she trailed of as a shadow passed over the light of the comet, creating a brief moment of darkness, that led to all of the people looking up in wonder.

"What in the world?", the Firesage asked standing up and crinkling his eyebrows in displeasure.

"Azula", Ty Lee said hastily and with a strange undertone in her voice. Not exactly fear but more of a soft concern. "That's the Avatar's bison."

The Sage inhaled sharply and Jao Long hummed, seemingly deep in thought. "Shouldn't he be in the earth kingdom?", he asked.

"At the moment I don't care", growled Azula. "Ty Lee, get the people away from here. I can finish my speech some other time." She narrowed her eyes at the figures on the beasts back, that had started circling the plaza, seemingly searching for a good spot to land among the masses of people, who were being herded away by soldiers and imperial Firebenders.

"And bring me the third blade", she whispered, thinly disguised hatred in her voice. Ty Lee's eyes widened and she too looked up. She kissed Azula's cheek softly. "Don't do anything crazy."

Azulas grin showed far to many theeth. "I promise nothing."

The great Bison landed and there on it's back sat that water tribe girl. A powerful Waterbender in her own right, even though she lacked the bearing of true nobility.

But her eyes were glued to the second figure, that slowly climbed down from the saddle.

Zuko looked good, as much as she hated to admit it. He was clothed in simple commoners clothing, light and easy to move in, a sharp contrast to Azula's own elaborate armor. There was strength in his stride as he stood before Azula and the people still on the plaza, mostly Soldiers and Nobles, a few Commoners hiding behind the buildings and of course the people right in front of the altar.

Zuko's hair was shaggy, but not dirty and he lacked the shame that he normally showed when people looked at his scar.

"Rude as always, Zuko", Azula said in a low voice. "I don't expect you are here to congratulate me on my coronation?"

He just stared at her and there was steel in his gaze. Aztula couldn't help but be upset about this. She had tried to manipulate her brother countless times, tried to force him to stand up to father, to make a name for himself. And that Watertribes girl seemed to have managed that within barely a month.

"I thought not", she whispered.

She was all to aware of the stares in her back, the priest wondering and the Commander calculating the outcomes. Zuko still held a claim to the throne, however minuscule it was and even though she was already crowned, refusing a duel with him would degrade her in the eyes of the watching nobles and worse the imperial Firebenders.

"That belongs to me", he said, pointing to the crown on her head. Azula felt a sting in her chest. It seemed he had steeled himself beforehand, trying to sever every connection the two of them still held, to make it easier to kill her for his master.

Fine. Two could play that game.

Does it now?", she asked coldly. "You come to this holy place, riding an Airbender's bison, a Waterbender in tow and demand the greatest treasure of the Fire Nation? You betrayed our Nation not one but two times and you have the gall to think that you are worthy to sit upon the burning throne?"

Zuko just sighed and closed his eyes. His faked serenity pissed Azula of like nothing else and she was just a hairline away from attacking him, as the old Sage began to speak: "With what claim, do you wish to challenge the Fire Lord?", he asked softly. Azula whipped around and raised an eyebrow at him. Did he want to orchestrate an Agni Kai?

Jao Longs face was an intrigued grimace, pondering the possibilities of this notion. Azula really needed to replace him, as soon as possible.

For the first time Zuko seemed out of his element.

"I am the older son of Fire Lord Ozai and the Lady Ursa", he said a bit to late and of course mentioning the name of their traitorous mother.

"Surely after your misconducts with the great spirit of the world you see that your claim of blood has long since expired?"

Dragon's bless the old Sage. Azula would make him High Sage after this.

Zuko nodded. "Very well. Then I will claim the right with my deeds. I have mastered the dancing dragon."

Shocked silence followed his statement. The Sages eyes were wide and he looked at Azula for reassurance, who narrowed her eyes. That actually explained a lot. His confidence, the sense of danger and his peacefulness of spirit. The dancing dragon was thought to be lost and no Firebender would dare to lie about something like this.

"The challenge cannot be denied!", said Jao Long slowly. Azula gave him a cold stare and nodded slowly. Then she opened up the heavy mantle and let it fall to the ground. Slowly she loosened each strap of her breastplate and let the armor fall to the ground with a muted thud.

Ty Lee was back and helped her with her surcoat, leaving her only in her dark red trousers, thick and easy to move in and the wrappings around her breasts.

Slowly she stepped forward, her eyes never leaving her brothers as she accepted the long knife from Ty Lee. Zuko's blade had a blade of blackened steel, with jagged edges and a sharp point, designed to make wounds painful and dangerous. The handle was wrapped in soft leather and a single ruby threw back the light of the Fires, that were burning now white hot as Sozin's comet reached it's Zenith.

Azula's gaze slid over the Waterbender, who looked very uncomfortable under the light of the comet and being in a holy place designated to the worship of Fire. Zuko should not have brought the Foreigner to the sanctum. Not on this holy day.

Azula collected herself for a second before speaking. "After your second betrayal I forged a blade, meant for the purpose of your death", she said. "I won't need it", she said as she gave it back to Ty Lee. "But I want you to be aware that you are not the only one who is prepared to become a kinslayer today." She shook her head, as she slipped into her firebending stance, legs apart, arms forward, her flames burning insider her hotter than ever.

"I'm sorry it has to end this way, brother!"

"No you're not", he answered with a stern face.

She smirked. "Not really. You have thrown my mercy back in my face one to many times, Zuzu."

With these words she unleashed a truly massive torrent of blue flame that barreled straight towards her brother, singing the air in the process and sending the remaining people running from the heath and the sheer power of the flames that were fueled by Sozin's comet.

Zuko however stood still in his unusual stance and parted the flames like they were waves before him with his own, white hot burning Fire. The ground of the plaza laid scorched between the two of them and silence reigned as the opponents evaluated each other.

Zuko didn't really know his sister, had never known her, neither her cruelty, nor her capacity of true honor. For him she was always a danger, an object of hatred. His few looks into the real struggle inside Azula's diseased mind were never of real clarity. Now that her mind was clearer she was all the more dangerous and he had steeled himself for this day. He would not lose. The harmony of the world was at stake.

Azula for her part knew without a doubt that her brother had grown up. He was no longer the angry boy, lashing out at the world and so easily manipulated. Nor was he the indecisive young man she had grown to loathe, while he moped around. This was a dangerous opponent and Azula felt a grin tugging at her lips as the flame within roared in response to her anger.

"This is how it was always meant to be", she whispered and she knew that Zuko heard her, because he launched a quick series of massive Fire balls, that Azula evaded or parried with her own, razor sharp sickles of blue flame.

The heath on the plaza grew unbearable as their Agni Kai began in earnest, both moving their bodies through perfect forms, both still holding their distance from each other, testing themselves against an opponent they could not afford to underestimate.

The stalemate ended with Zuko as he raised a great wall of flame before him and began to spin it, sending a spraling whirl of deadly flames in Azulas direction, followed by two quick Fireballss, that exploded around her, hindering her movement towards the sides. Azula spun in a circle ands surrounded herself with a swirling blue dome of Fire, that parted Zuko's attack around her.

With a scream Azula threw her arms to the side and a great wave of Fire reached out from around her, forcing Zuko to jump into the air, avoiding the flame and bringing down his leg in a flaming kick with a yell of his own.

Azula swirled around his attack, skating on her own blue Flames, that spiraled around her in lightning fast whips, that Zuko narrowly evaded with a few steps back.

His stance was strange, his upper body lowered and his legs far apart, like a Dragon descending from the skies. The dancing Dragon was a Form focusing on elegance and power, which helped him greatly against an opponent like Azula, who was far faster than him.

In less than a second she had catapulted herself high into the air and suddenly she was above him, her fist coated in blue Fire. Zuko countered by hitting her arm to the side and kicking out with a flaming leg she jumped over.

Their fight had transformed into a wild melee, a dance between two Master Firebenders, where one step could lead to death. Their movements seemed to the Onlookers but especially to Katara and Ty Lee more like a well choreographed dance than an actual battle, their movements highlighted by swirling cascades of blue and white Fire.

Azula was fighting with pure rage, all the hate and the anger towards her brother manifested themselves in her cold rage that fueled her flames and controlled her movement in precise and viciously fast strikes in quick successions, going for killing blows and openings in her opponents defense. Zuko on the other hand fought around her attacks, evading them on a wide scale only to counter with devastating Fireballs and Waves of his own, that forced Azula to abandon her own attacks.

And while the two siblings fought their styles began to compliment each other, adapting and overcoming the others tactics until both of them seamlessly incorporated the other's techniques into their own fighting style. It really seemed like more of a dance than a battle.

Both of their instincts honed by years of battle and challenges the siblings moved as one under the light of the comet in what they both knew to be their last battle.

Minutes passed and both Katara and Ty Lee began to grow concerned as the movements of the siblings slowed. Still as one they jumped apart, both breathing heavily and soaked with sweat.

Zuko's tunic was completely burned, exposing his muscular chest and a nasty burn on his right side, where he couldn't evade Azula's burning leg fast enough.

Azula herself was bleeding from a wound above her collarbone and she had lost the crown in the heath of battle, letting her long hair fall into her face.

The buildings around the combatants were burning, everyone but Ty Lee and Katara having long since fled from the intense heath of the Flames.

Both of them had retreated towards the temple, sending the occasional cautious glare at each other but to enraptured by the Fight to care much about each other.

"No Lightning today?", Zuko wheezed out after he corrected his stance, while heavily favoring his right arm.

"I'll show you Lightning", Azula growled and her arms began to crackle with the deadly energies, amplified by the power of the comet. Zuko waited, shifting his stance.

With an outcry Azula brought her arms down, not in a forward thrust like she normally did, but downwards, unleashing a shrieking thunderbolt in Zuko's direction that missed him by a margin because he dropped to the ground just the moment he saw Azula's differing movement, and ripping the building behind him to pieces.

"You think", Azula hacked. "...I don't know that the dancing Dragon can counter Lightning? But you're not the only one with tricks up his sleeves."

With that she threw herself back into battle, a quick uppercut unleashing a wall of flame, before following with two kicked lances and a wide sickle that he was forced to hastily evade. That was followed by another strike of Lightning he didn't have the time to catch properly, what forced him to throw himself down again.

"How long can you keep this up?", Azula growled as she moved again and forced him to evade another onslaught of attacks. He countered with a wide arc of Flame that forced her to jump back with a few clumsy hops. Out of balance it was now Azula that had to evade his attacks.

However again she catapulted herself into the air and like a vengeful godess from the heavens she descended through Zuko's Flame, that left dangerous scorching marks on her skin as she summoned her lightning down on his head.

But he had been ready for that. With a growl he managed to catch the lightning in his hand, feeling his body being ravaged by the terrible energies and directing the strike back at her, missing by a wide arc and destroying another building in the process.

Again both of them faced each other. Both were naked, their clothes having long since burned in the inferno of their rage. Zuko couldn't feel his left arm and Azula had a noticeable limp in her right leg, where he could see a big open wound, already cauterized but deep nonetheless.

Both of them knew that this last attack would decide everything.

At the same Time they ignited their fists.

There was an impact of blue and white Flame.

A bloodcurdling scream.

Azula slowly, almost reverent touched the right side of her face, where a big burn covered her eye, that had almost been gouged out by Zuko's attack.

Then she looked down on her right arm, that had broken through her brothers ripcage and was right now burning his innards in her sapphire Flame. His face was oddly illuminated by the Fire and slowly she wiped the blood away from his face, that was slowly making it's way down his lips.

Then she kissed him one last time, tasting his blood on her lips and she smiled. Not her usual dangerous smirk or an unhinged grin but a truly genuine smile, that lighted her beautiful face up like the sun.

"Farewell brother", she whispered. "You were right. I am not sorry."

And then she ripped her fist out of her brothers chest.

She was showered in blood as her brother fell down like a puppet with it's string cut, no sign of life anymore in his once so golden eyes.

A horrid scream came from the Waterbender and Azula knew that she would not be able to fight in her current state. Luckily tough Ty Lee was there and with a few quick jabs to the Waterbenders neck she slumped over like a wet sack, being caught in Ty Lee's arms and gently lowered to the ground.

Then Ty Lee stepped up to the blood soaked Azula on the scorched plaza. "Are you alright?", she asked tears in her eyes. "Yes", answered Azula slowly, her eyes not leaving her brothers still corpse, his blood staining the scorched earth a lovely shade of bright red.

Ty Lee studied her face carefully. "Do you regret it?", she asked.

"I regret that it was necessary", answered Azula, A single tear leaked out of her left eye, her right one being far to swollen and burned to create tears. "He was my brother. I will try to remember him as the boy he was, not the man he became. Cursed be the Avatar and cursed be my Father!"

She looked at the downed Waterbender. "I will not forgive the Avatar for making me do this. Throw her into the dungeon! And then get me a healer!" She looked around for the Bison but it had flown of during the battle.

Azula began limping in the direction of the temple, Ty Lee following her. "Azula...", she said and Azula turned around harshly, glaring at Ty Lee.

"I have no time to mourn, Ty Lee! I have an empire to run and a war to win. There is no time for regret anymore!" Ty Lee smiled sadly over her own tears and kissed her tears away. "Rest Azula. You are wounded. I will take care of this situation. Tomorrow we will mourn. And then you will rule."

Azula nodded. "Yes", she said. "I promise you again that I will make everything worth it."

* * *

 _Well that was a thing. I have thought long and hard if I really wanted to kill him but I think this is the best outcome. It assures there will be no quarter given in the war to come._

 _I'm not sorry though_


	4. A night of passion

_Fire Nation Fun Fact: The people of the Fire Nation are people of passion. It is generally accepted for a married man or woman to take a mistress or two of either sex, or to share them between both of them if they are so inclined. All children born from this will hold the social standing of the mother, the children of female mistresses can however be considered for noble Titles if no trueborn heir exists. Sudden deaths among trueborn heirs are not as much of a problem as one might think, given this law, because most Fire Lords don't have the patience to deal with an investigation and just execute all of the mistresses when a strange and sudden death occurs. Azulon, who disliked this practice was notoriously known for being very cruel in his punishments for this particular crime._

 _Even a child born out of wedlock is still no social pariah like in the Water tribes for example, whose deep sense of community and love makes them abhor this. A Bastard however cannot inherit a title unless legitimized by the ruling Fire Lord._

* * *

 _The fourth chapter. In which Azula fortifies her rule and mourns her brother_

* * *

Zuko's funeral was a quiet and somber affair. Azula burned his body alone and alone she carried his ashes into the catacombs. A sarcophagus was commissioned in his image. She remembered laying the blade she had wanted to kill him with next to his urn. She remembered Ty lee coming to find her and she remembered a lot of wine and crying.

And so it was a tired and mourning Azula, that stepped out onto the balcony of her, HER, palace, the sun stinging painfully in her tired eyes.

Instead of the red, black and golden garment of the Fire Lord she wore a simple white robe, embroidered with little Flowers and her crowning sword on her belt, as it was traditional for mourning. White as the colour of death and the blade as a sign of loss would paint her as a sympathetic figure in the eyes of the common people and more than a few nobles.

After all Azula truly felt miserable. Her hand resting on the pommel of her blade, which she had called _Kinslayer,_ she limped out into the sun. Silence greeted her from the masses, but they were there, thousands of people had come together below the palace to mourn for their fallen Prince, even if he was a traitor.

Azula looked down on them with her one good eye, her right one still heavily bandaged. The physician had said the scars would never fade, as he had told a far younger Zuko once. A rather ironic sign and a reminder, she thought as she touched the bandage, just to feel the sharp tug of pain. Only her eye and her leg had been serious wounded and the leg would probably recover.

She had just a few more rather impressive Burnscars to show of after her Agni Kai for the Throne. Well that and being marked as a Kinslayer in the eyes of the spirits. Azula did not give much about their opinions, but some people did and so she had to play up the mourning angle, to ease her guilt in the eyes of the populace.

Her voice was rough as she addressed the people. "This was supposed to be a happy occasion", she said, her voice carrying over the morning wind and the noises of the populace with ease.

"I would have given a great feast on the palace grounds and everyone would have been invited."

She quieted down for a second, just long enough for the people to break down into murmurs, before she silenced them:

"I will still do that, though it will not be a feast dedicated to me. Instead it will be hold in remembrance of a prince we lost to the evils of the Avatar and a foolish sister who could not save her brother."

She paused again for dramatic effect.

"I want you to know, people of the Fire Nation that, though I won the throne over the body of my brother, I will not let his sacrifice be in vain. In fact I promise you to make this Nation into a country he and all of you can be proud of. By the glory of the Dragons and the unconquered sun, I will give our enemies no quarter. I will bring justice for all, the common and the high people and I promise you this, citizens of my Nation. I will reward loyalty as sure as I will punish betrayal. My mercy died with my brother."

She raised her hand. "Now enjoy the feast that will be prepared in the evening. Fill your bellies without restraint, enjoy the wine, there is enough for everyone. This day will be a day of festivities in remembrance of the past and in honor of our future. This will be a night of singing, drinking and of passion as only the Fire Nation can do it." She threw her arms to the side. "Long may the sun shine!"

Laughing and encouraging cries reached her ears as long with a low chanting of her name that grew steadily loader until it was drowned in the roaring applause. Azula waved as she left the balcony, a shadow falling over her face as soon as she was alone.

This was not easy. To be honest she was worried. It had been two days and there were still no news from her father and the three Legions he had taken with him. The rest of the colonies in the earth Kingdom was also eerily quiet. No news from Ba Sing Se or Omashu, but there were rumors of smoke over the great cities and of fields of corpses with no survivors on either side. Nobody had a straight story about just what happened under Sozin's comet in the earth Kingdom.

Azula had known that her father would be punished by the spirits but what about the fifteen thousand men with him? And the garrisons and Legions still fighting at the front. Nothing from them either.

The falcons send to the central army had not come back, the one sent to Omashu returned without an answer and the colonies gave vague unnmatching reports. Azula was frustrated and tired and her patience was wearing thin. The indecisiveness was killing her.

He entered the Throne room and let out a soft laugh. So often she had kneeled on the tiles of black marble looking up the golden columns and the grand tapestry behind the burning throne, her eyes blinded by the flames

It was rather new, rebuild after Roku destroyed it in his duel with Sozin, the carvings of dragons having been changed to abstract flames that framed the burning throne itself. It was dark in the Throne room, there were no torches or lights here, only one light would light the center of power in the Fire Nation.

Azula sat down on the great platform directly in the center of the tapestry, where she was framed by the flames as if they were her burning wings. And with a gesture of her hand she ignited the throne, the Flames roaring around her leaving only her silhouette visible from outside, where visitors and supplicants would kneel. It was build to host the Fire Lord and his great dragon looming behind him, based on the assumption that the Lord of Fire would not need a fancy chair like a lesser ruler. Only his flames and his dragon.

It was different from when her father resided here, the blue flames creating an eerie, cold light that did not represent power as the red shine of Ozai's flame but moire of a deadly threat, a promise of destruction without emotion. Azula liked it.

The grand doors, guarded by her imperial Firebenders and Dai Li Agents opened and Ty Lee strolled into the Throne Room, looking around with an eyebrow raised and bowing between the last two columns, as her status demanded.

Then she stood up and leaned against one of the columns, staring at the shadows in the room that weren't driven away by the blue flames but somehow invited, creating an illusion of darkness and mysteries behind the curtain of Fire.

"It certainly is different", she said. "But still intimidating."

"That's what I was going for." Azula lowered the flames so she could see Ty Lee's face, that was crinkled in worry.

"Are you alright, Azula?", she asked.

"I am", Azula confirmed.

"Liar." Ty Lee gently touched her cheek with her outstretched fingers, while climbing onto the throne and laying her head on Azula's lap. "You killed your brother, Azula. Not even you can be alright after this."

Azula stared into the flames as if she was searching for something, before finally saying: "Yes I did. Azula the kinslayer. I'm sure it will mesh wonderfully with my other lovely titles."

"I was scared", said Ty Lee. "Of Zuko, of you. You hated each others guts, but why were you both so determined to kill each other?"

There was a long silence, in which Azula closed her eyes, still aware of Ty Lee's silent stare.

"It is because we both think we are saving the world", Azula finally answered, gently stroking Ty Lee's braid. "Huh?" she asked perplexed.

"We always had different opinions", Azula continued "But in the end it came down to the path this Nation would take into the Future. Zuko would have followed the Avatar, ended the war and probably would have bent over backwards for the demands of the other Nations. I on the other hand will not take the victory from my people that they worked a hundred years to earn, that they spilled so much blood for. I refuse to bow to the whims of a spirit who has no right to decide the fate of humanity."

"So it came down to ideological differences?"

"Both of us could have never accepted the world the other envisioned. He knew that and came here, fully ready to kill me."

She sighed. "I don't blame him. It would be hypocritical of me to do that. I blame Iroh and the Avatar, for poisoning his mind. Maybe he could have been great at my side without them and without father to pressure us."

"That would have been great", laughed Ty Lee. "You could have married him and Mai and you could spoil their whole bunch of children, while teaching them Firebending." She stilled. "It would have been beautiful if things were different."

"It is not healthy to chase after What ifs, Ty Lee. Both of us made mistakes, I can see that now."  
"So fear is no longer the only reliable way?"

Azula sighed again. "It was foolish of me to dismiss loyalty and love. They are powerful in their own right, even if I don't really understand them. Fear alone leads to betrayal. Loyalty is far more useful, if more difficult to obtain."

"I will help you, Azula", said Ty Lee, kissing her on the cheek. "It's almost time for the oaths. They should be here soon."

She stood up and Azula hissed in pain as she touched her wounded leg.

"Oh wonderful. A pit of Vipers searching for chances to secure their own power. Father left them to their own devices for far to long. It will be difficult to remind them of their place again."

Ty Lee chuckled. "It will be fine. You sometimes forget how intimidating you are."

"Still, my position is a dangerous one. I have no heirs and a civil war is the last thing this Nation needs, now that the war has ignited fully again. They will try to push me into marriage, which I can't afford either, because marrying and thus elevating a family over the other could upset the balance."

She rubbed her temples. "I will need to take a few wards out of their sons and daughters, maybe marry a few of them to each other. The Sages should be satisfied with Lu Sing's elevation to High Sage for the time being, but Jao Long is a problem. He doesn't like me and I believe he could try to make a push for the throne."

"There is no real way for you to remove him without assassination", said Ty Lee. "I could kill him in his sleep easily enough but it is impossible for that not to fall back on you." She pouted. "You could also just marry me and don't bother with that anymore."

"No", Azula said. "I really can't. Even if you don't give much about them, your family is rather powerful in the capital. After Mai's execution it is also the one most loyal to me. I would like nothing more to reward their loyalty but if I marry you now I will still give a single family to much power. And the problem with the heirs is still there. I can't afford a pregnancy right now and I cannot get you pregnant for obvious reasons."

"I ´know, I know", Ty Lee sighed. "Still, a girl can dream. Wouldn't it be like the songs? Just us against the world and all social stigmata. Would be even better if I was a commoner. Oh, or a Waterbender", she babbled excited.

"Don't even joke about that", said Azula laughing. "And most of our songs end in tragedy anyway."

"Yeah, never really liked that. But what do you want to do about Jao Long? Without Zuko he has no legitimate heirs anymore who would suit his agenda better, so he has no choice anymore but to plot your death."

Azula scratched the itching scar on her face. "He has a son, hasn't he?"

Ty Lee nodded. "Yes. He is thirty-seven and had a big falling out with his father. He lives somewhere by the great harbor, made it big in trading with the burning cities and the colonies."

"Does he have any children?"

"A daughter I think. But I don't think she is very close to her grandfather."

"We can still use her to wring a confession out of him. If he really is a sympathizer of the Avatar we can execute him anyway with even the slightest bit of proof. Let us concentrate on the others first."

"But what about the imperial Firebenders themselves? If he is killed from within it wouldn't reflect to much on you."

"We would need a scapegoat and a replacement" Azula agreed.

"I will speak to the ones we know are loyal, the ones at Mai's execution and the ones who were with the seventh legion in Iro Jawa and Ba Sing Se. They would definitely be loyal to you."

"Good Idea", said Azula. "He may be the biggest problem but he is far from the only one. However without the imperial Firebenders watching my back my days as a ruler are numbered."

Ty Lee nodded. "My own family is on your side, they reaped to many benefits from our friendship to jump ships. The others are waiting for opportunities but have nothing concrete. Mai's family could be a problem, after all we executed their daughter."

"Then they will fall in line if they don't want us to do the same to their son. I have no mercy left for that woman."

Ty Lee knew that Azula's dislike for Mai's mother was only surpassed by her hate for her own mother. Azula had become kind of a patron for motherless children or children from abusive households, establishing and funding a number of orphanages even under Ozai's rule, that kept themselves in business by letting the children do simple, paid work all overseen by Azula herself.

It was the closest the Fire Lord would come to sympathizing, even if she would never admit it, hiding behind phrases like: "securing the future of the workforce."

Both had been quiet for a few minutes and it was Azula, who spoke again in a very soft voice: "Do you think, Zuzu would have made a good Fire Lord?", she asked almost shyly.

Ty Lee was stunned for a few seconds, the question and the unexpected vulneravility surprising her. Then she shook her head. "I loved Zuko", she said. "And I am sure he would have done what he thought best. But there is a great difference between Zuko and you and the most important one is, that you love this Nation."

"What do you mean?"

"Zuko hated his father, his honor, himself. He hated the harshness of the military and the intrigues that good Ursa banished. He hated you and his hunt. He was full of hate now that I think about it. And deep inside him he hated this Nation. He wanted to change it completely, seeing the culture as worthless in it's entirety, because of Iroh and the Avatar, who have every reasons to hate us."

"That makes sense", Azula answered slowly. "He did not grow up here. His memories are only of father and me, of pain, since our mother was banished. He did not like me, year after year, see the Fire Lilys bloom or the summer festivals, he did not watch the whalers bring in the great beasts or the christening of the ships. After mother all of his memories of home were awful."

Ty Lee nodded. "I think it was that hate that drove him. He learned from Iroh that we, that he himself was evil and he saw the only way out in the claws of the Avatar."

She shook her head again. "So no, I don't think he would have made a good Fire Lord. He would have destroyed everything this Nation stands for."

Azula nodded. "He was my brother, even if he hated me. I should have seen that sooner. Maybe I could have spared him this fate."

"You said it yourself, What if's are a waste of time."

Azula kissed her. "You are right, Ty Lee. However I would be very interested in where he learned the dancing Dragon. It was thought to be lost with the dragons themselves."

"From Iroh maybe?", Ty Lee asked. "He did kill the last one, didn't he?"

"Maybe", she whispered. But that doesn't really fit Iroh. I never believed he really killed a dragon. But Zuko knowing the form means that either he or Iroh found a living dragon. And that means, that they are still out there."

"This is good news", said Ty Lee. "If you could bring the dragons back your position would be heavily secured. And you know... Dragons." She smiled lightly.

"If I had lived a hundred years ago I would have been given one of my father's dragons hatchlings when I grew old enough to care for it. We would have grown up together, would have our first flight together, breathed our first flame together and learned the dancing dragon together from our parents. We would have killed our first enemy together and by the unconquered sun can you believe how much easier it would have been to hunt the thrice damned Avatar on his stupid bison if we had a dragon!?", the last sentence was almost shouted.

"Wow, you're passionate about this", said Ty Lee, softly kissing Azula's hair. "I feel jealous. After all I did most of these things with you. And more", she whispered sweetly into Azula's ear.

Azula shuddered. "Don't tempt me. The council will meet soon and I need to prepare myself. They will not be happy but I need to show strength now more than ever. I will count on you to intimidate them into complying."

"As if I could do anything your blue wall of doom can't", Ty Lee said, jumping of the throne and taking her place to Azula's left, her silent dagger in the night."

"The rumors of your skills are threat enough. Not for them personally but for their families in the night."

"I am not happy about this", pouted Ty Lee.

"I know", answered Azula. "But there are times when fear is the only reliable way.

* * *

The throne room looked different when it was full of people. The blue light of Azula's flame added a certain shine to faces that made everyone look as if they were plotting something sinister.

To be honest everyone in this room was plotting something sinister from Azula on the burning throne down to the five year old heir of the Luzhiang family, who was sucking on the frills of his caretakers robe, while standing behind him soaking the very expensive silk thoroughly and disgustingly wet, to the amusement of his staff and Ty Lee.

She was standing up on the platform, overlooking the Throne room with her arms crossed. A silent factor of intimidation, to let them know that Azula could have them assassinated in the night anytime. Ty Lee's progress was known and her deeds by the infiltration of Ba Sing Se and the slaughter of the North Gate as people called it now had only added to her reputation.

Lo and Li were there, the silent advisers, not on the platform but in direct vicinity to the burning throne, showing that Azula valued their counsel and most of all trusted them.

The rest of the nobles of the realm was standing in a half circle around the throne, the heads of all the important families of Caldera, the burning cities and the Isles or at least their authorized to make promises and the oath in their place.

Most of them didn't really know what to think about the situation. Ozai was very much alive and had made himself a new title, but the Oath was sworn to the Fire Lord and after a crowning it was the ritual to renew that Oath before the burning throne,m swearing their loyalty to the current Fire Lord.

And it was the current King of Langxio that voiced their doubts. The rulers of Langxio, the greatest of the burning cities were Kings once, before Vanir subdued them and named himself Fire Lord over the whole Nation. Now they were Kings only in name, a steward for the Fire Lord in Caldera. But because they were so far away from the center of power they sometimes thought their power to be as absolute as the Fire Lords. Sometimes they needed to be reminded of the Oaths they had sworn and the sheer terrible power that sat on the burning throne.

"I don't quite understand why we are here", he said, He didn't seem to be afraid or nervous because of the new tint of the Throne room, but there was a certain carefulness in his voice, as if he was guarding himself.

"Ozai is alive and fighting in the earth Kingdom right now. I swore my oaths to him and I have no Intention to serve two masters."

The sleazebag had no intention of serving any master at all but that was to be expected. Grandstanding to see what they could get away with. Not a lot if Azula had her way.

She didn't react behind her curtain of Fire, choosing to let her servants talk to him. This too, was a message, degrading him showing him his place without insulting him directly. Ozai was fond of this tactic and he passed it on to his daughter.

"Your oaths are sworn to the Fire Lord", said Li.

"And as a noble to the Fire Nation you will continue to swear them to the Fire Nation", continued Lo.

"Not to do so is treason", Li again.

"Treason against the Fire Lord, the crown and the Phoenix King", finished Lo.

Azula hated to invoke her fathers new title but until he finally got what was coming to him, she had to play the waiting game and deny her own power, act as the glorified steward her father intended her to make. At least until the wrath of the dragons punished him.

She waited to see what the man would do. The punishment for treason was death and Azula was in the position to enforce that. Not in a good position, certainly but the actual scale of her power was rather unclear with the current political situation.

And everyone who knew the princess knew two things: First of all that she wouldn't hesitate at all to kill him and second that with Ty Lee at her side, nobody in here stood a chance if she decided to kill them all, even if her imperial Firebenders would side with their commander over their Fire Lord.

Azula didn't hold all the power in this situation but that depended largely on her unwillingness to escalate beyond a reasonable level. Also even if it was clear that she intended to do away with Ozai and had no intention of being subservient to the Phoenix King, whatever she had planned hadn't happened yet and a quick succession would be more beneficial for all sides than an open rebellion by a part of the nobles.

The question remained if Azula was able to remain in power and neutralize her father. If not, swearing the oath to her would mean certain death. However not swearing the Oath to her wold carry dire consequences if she did manage to overthrow Ozai.

In the end he decided to deal with the danger directly before him first.

"I will kneel", he said slowly. My great ancestors swore to be part of the Fire Nation for eternity. Not whatever Ozai is building."

That invoked murmurs and whispers from the others. To openly defy Ozai like that set an entirely different precedence. The newly appointed High Sage chimed in with his gravelly voice: "The great Dragons lit the burning Throne for the first Fire Lord Vanir and all who would follow him. The burning Throne is still lit and a Fire Lord sits upon it. Ozai does not hold the blessings of the dragons. The faith serves Fire Lord Azula."

Azula was thankful for the burning curtain, because she could not hold back her grin. This was unexpected. There was a certain glint in the eyes of the King, who knew very well what he had just done. He incited an open rebellion against Ozai and his new way, guessing correctly that Azula had the faith in her pocket. Some of the older Lords and Ladys would not dare to go against the faith and the rest of the burning cities would follow his example.

He guessed that Azula's power base was large enough to give them a majority and sway the opportunists and fair weather friends among the noble. Loyalists to Ozai could be dealt with, if the conspiracy was shared among the whole council.

He was good. But for now he was on her side. She could appreciate a competent man in her council, as long as he knew his place. She would wait and see.

So she spoke, for the first time at this meeting: "To talk about your Fire Lord like that is treason."

"Then it is a good thing I am not talking about my Fire Lord, isn't it", he answered, his gaze steady, now standing directly in front of her silhouette.

Azula smiled at that. He had seen through her intentions, as she expected. Some of the others however were still holding their breath. This was all a show, a deadly show, where the outcome would decide the fate of the Fire nation and thus the entire world.

"I will accept your Oaths, King of Langxio, for the Fire Nation will always follow the Fire Lord. Not a traitor with delusions of an empire. The great dragons have invented this title for a reason."

"This is outrageous!", came a shout from the ranks of the nobles. Hei Wang, a Lord of the southern isles, the southernmost point of the fire Nation. A military man, not very bright but a good head on his shoulders when it came to battle. And very loyal. Too loyal.

"We swore ourselves to Ozai. This is a coup based on technicalities. How can you support this, fellow nobles. Are you really prepared to throw your lot in with this traitorous girl, with this Kinslayer?"

It was silent in the hall, only the sounds of the Fire burning through, illuminating the white faces of the nobles in it's dangerous blue light. Ty Lee had her hand at her swords grip, a scowl on her face.

Azula slowly lowered her Flames and looked the noble who had spoken directly into his face.

"A Kinslyer I am", she agreed. "I killed my brother in cold blood. I am planning a coup against the Father, who betrayed his own nation", she snarled and realization hit the nobles. This was all to real. A real choice, between the empire they had known and the fantastic idea Ozai had forced upon them.

"I am going to kill my Uncle", Azula spoke further. "And my mother if I ever find the traitorous whore. So let me be a Kinslayer. Let me bear the curse of the spirits as a badge of honor. Let it be my title, Azula the Kinslayer and let it be known that it will be Azula the Kinslayer who leads this Nation back to old greatness. Against my fathers wishes, against the Avatars wishes and even against your wishes if it has to be so."

The new High Priest was the first to applaud, followed by the burning cities and Ty Lee. And a murmur grew louder from within the ranks of the nobles, who started cheering for her and against her father. Some out of faith, because they truly believed that Ozai had betrayed the spirits they were sworn to.

Some out of loyalty to the Fire Nation, out of traditionalism they would not see it change. Others cheered because they feared for their lifes, the consequences of defying Azula. Others thought that Ozai couldn't possibly have defeated the Avatar and that the lack of news meant that he was long dead.

However many voices joined the chanting that grew louder with each second. "Kinslayer", Kinslayer", Kinslayer!, " **Kinslayer!"**

In this night they swore their oaths and the great feast was held on the palace ground. The Nobles, the commoners and the soldiers engaged in unrestrained festivities. Many alliances were made in this night of great passion, Wine and food were consumed, songs were sung and praises for the new Fire Lord were proclaimed in many toasts. Many lovers found each other in that night and many fights broke out. For this was a feast of the Fire Nation and the people who were once blessed by the dragons were people of passion.

Seven men died that night, nobles who openly spoke against the new Fire Lord, some murdered in the passion of the night, some killed by their own to validate Azula's claim. And one in a memorable occasion with the mistress of the Lord of the western plains, a komodo-rhino and an apprentice blacksmith. Others like Jao Long were quiet and made their own plans. Nobody died to Azula's flames or Ty Lee's blade in that night.

Both of them had no part in the festivities. Instead the two old lovers found themselves celebrating alone between the Fire Lilys of the palace gardens and again later in Azula's chamber, celebrating their victory and the validation of their rule.

It was a night of passion after all.

* * *

In a dungeon, deep beneath Ba Sing Se, Ozai awoke. And as he felt the cold creeping out of his very soul into his limps, the mighty and cruel Phoenix King cried like a child, shivering from the cold in his soul, where no Fire burned anymore.

* * *

Somewhere in the earth Kingdom a mercenary in a dark cloak gently run her fingers over the beautiful blade she held close to her chest. Hearing the news of the Avatars Victory from some of the celebrating soldiers she sighed. Mai did not really care for the Avatar. She was searching for Zuko and where the Avatar was, she would probably find him. Maybe she could convince him to renounce his stupid Quest and flee together with her. So she would travel to Ba Sing Se first thing in the morning. Even though she didn't let it show, she was lonely, missing Zuko, Azula and even Ty Lee. So she fell asleep, holding herself, dreaming of better days.

* * *

 _I wonder if she thought about that before she did it. As far as titles of honor go this one is rather dark_

 _Aang has a personal code of not killing anyone. He does not believe that there are worse things than death. He is wrong about that, as faceless Koh can attest to._


	5. Sacrilege

_Fire Nation Fun Fact:_

 _The Fire Nation has at this time eight active Legions. These Legions are composed of light infantry, heavy cavalry on Komodo-Rhinos and Mongoose-Lizards, and provincial regiments of former earth kingdom citizens. Only the seventh, the second, the fourth and the first legion have tank-regiments. Firebenders are shuffled in small unity throughout the Legions. Not counted are the individual soldiers a noble house can raise if threatened or the garrisons of the provincial cities, mostly untrained levy, footmen and a few Firebenders. A Legion is composed of three to five thousand men active fighting force, not counting vendors, support carts or whores, which holds the total headcount of a legion at about six to seven thousand people._

 _The imperial Firebenders are not at full Legion strength, but each and every one of them is a fully trained Elite soldier and so they are often lend out to actively fighting legions. Individual Legions decorate their banners with the spoils of their wars and gain titles of honor from their conquests. So is the first Legions still known as Sozins's fist, while the seventh is called the Princessguard, or the Flayer's seventh. Veterans of the first who fought in the destruction of the earth temples wore their helmets decorated with the fur of a sky bison, while the men who were in Iro Jawa hold a small painting of a flayed man on their breastplates, to honor their generals sacrifice and Azula's revenge on the city._

* * *

 _The fifth chapter, in which Azula gets terrible news._

* * *

Azula was normally a light sleeper, which was only natural. A Firebender should rise with the sun actually. That however changed when she had consumed great amounts of wine throughout the night and Ty Lee's warm body was snuggled against her.

So only this time Azula cursed her battle ready body, when she awoke to the first rays of the sun through the curtains.

So Azula decided that the whole ruling thing could wait another few hours and snuggled closer to Ty Lee, running her hand over her bare form, just admiring her lover, who pressed her back into Azula, unconsciously seeking the warmth of the Firebender.

Just as Azula was about to fall asleep again. There was a loud knocking at the door of her chambers.

"Go away!", yelled Ty Lee draping her arm over her face.

"Your grace, came Li's aged voice from the door. "There are news from your father."

Cursing Azula untangled herself from Ty Lee's limbs who sat up groggily and with an aching head.

"What is it?", Azula opened the door to find Li, ragged and out of breath, only in a nightgown herself.

"Maybe you should clothe yourself first, Fire Lord", the old woman suggested with a quick gaze upon Azula's still naked form.

Ty Lee snorted from her place on the bed, where she had rolled herself up in the blankets. "As if you haven't seen tits before, you old ghoul."

"It is not proper", Li said simply. Ty Lee just rolled her eyes and snuggle back into the blankets.

"What happened?", interrupted Azula their banter, not appreciating being ignored and hastily throwing on a short, crimson robe that left little of her toned form to the imagination and had Ty Lee licking her lips hungrily.

"There was a falcon", Li said. "From the remains of the third legion. The eight and fourth legion were wiped out completely. The third has about a thousand men left, who are holed up at the southern trenches. Your father lost, your grace."

Azula sat down on the bed heavily. Ty Lee came up and began massaging her shoulders. "He lost", Azula whispered. "I knew he would be punished, but to think he would be..."

She shook her head. "That fortifies my political situation but it is a heavy military blow. Three whole legions. That's almost fifteen thousand men. We don't have enough free reserves to defend the land around Ba Sing Se, which could leave the city vulnerable to a siege."

She punched the wall, wincing as the pain hit her and traveled down in her injured leg. "Dammit Ozai. Give me back my Legions."

"There is another matter, your grace", Li said carefully after Azula's fist had stopped burning, eyeing the scorch marks on the wall carefully.

Azula rolled her eyes. "Of course. When it rains it pours. What is it?"

"Ba Sing Se was taken at the same day, by the Order of the white Lotus:"

"What?" Azula growled. "I should have burned that damnable city to the ground when I had the chance. And mounted Iroh's head on a pike." She ranted a bit further, before she turned back to Li with a sharpp gaze. "What about Omashu?"

"Omashu is holding but under siege. I heard that the old King Bumi is on his way to take back his city. Against an earthbender of his caliber the walls will not hold."

Azula did not answered, she seemed deep in thought, just humming a few times under Ty Lee's gentle ministrations. "Ty Lee", she said slowly.

"Yes Azula", said Ty Lee, stopping in her massaging.

"I have need of you."

The acrobat slipped from the bed and onto on knee. "Your left hand is ready, Fire Lord Azula. Just give the order." She winked and Azula smiled.

"I will send the seventh Legion to reinforce Omashu."

"Your Princessguard? They are not at full strength after the siege of Ba Sing Se."

"That accursed nickname", Azula growled. "Yes, the legion I commanded in Iro Jawa and Ba Sing Se. My Princessguard. You, Ty Lee will go with them."

"As you command. Am I to lead them?"

Azula shook her head. "No, As much as I trust you, you are no tactician Officially you're my personal Overseer. But there will be another mission for you." She paused and motioned for Ty lee to stand up. "You will keep to the shadows in the battle and the moment King Bumi interferes you will kill him. Your chi blocking should make you a most efficient enemy for a master Earthbender."

"Kill him?", asked Ty Lee. "He could be useful for leverage."

"We have all the leverage we need in the Waterbender. And the fact remains that we simply cannot keep him prisoner. He is so powerful that a few corns of sand would be enough for him to break out and kill all of his guards. With the discovery of Metalbending we can't even chain him."

Li nodded and said: "There are some benders who are far too powerful to be kept prisoner. The white Lotus is definitely on that List. You as well, Fire Lord. Hama the cruel if she were still alive and maybe the Avatar."

"I would add that blind girl and maybe Father to that list. Fact is, that it is difficult to hold a master bender. A Firebender is able to sap the heath from his surroundings, even body heath, a Bloodbender will kill his guards and a metalbender can break out from everywhere. Over a certain threshold, killing or crippling a powerful bender is the only way to hold him."

Ty Lee bowed again. "I will not disappoint you again, Azula," said Ty Lee.

"See that you don't. See to the royal arsenal to get you equipped accordingly and speak with General Toshiro about the plan. I place my trust in you, Ty Lee."

Now also clothed in a loose robe, Ty Lee left the room.

"I know she is your lover, your grace", Li whispered. "But are you sure we can trust her? She did betray you once."

"I have known Ty Lee for a long time", said Azula. "She wears her mask far better than even me. But I know that she has difficulties feeling real affection for people. She fakes it well, but it is very difficult for her to actually bond with people. That's why she is so protective of the bonds she has. Me, Mai and maybe one or two of her sisters are the only people she really cares for. Everyone else is blinded by her boundless enthusiasm and cheerful nature."

"So that is the true secret of the assassin Ty Lee."

"Yes. She has imprinted on me for a lack of a better word. And because I am able to make her feel, she will be loyal to the end. The only one who could inspire the same loyalty and emotions might be Mai."

"Is her whole personality just part of her mask?"

Azula shook her head. "No, she really is just that genuine and cheerful. Because she does not feel for other people she is good at reading their true emotions and is not burdened from what others think of her. That's why she is so dangerous. Because nothing about her is faked. What you see is what you get. Most people just don't realize what they see."

I see", whispered Li. "She seems so genuine in her love for animals and cute things."

Azula shrugged. "Again, that's because she is. She is not unable to feel it's just difficult for her. She doesn't really care on which sides she fight or what we do, but she is fiercely loyal to those she does feel for. That's why she betrayed me for Mai. And that's why she won't do it again, if that makes sense."

"It does", answered Li. "Still, I would never have guessed. Is that why you keep her around?"

"That and the fact that she can touch her toes with her fingertips backwards. One should never let a lover like that go."

Azula laughed before her face darkened. "But enough about Ty Lee. There is still a war to win. We cannot muster enough men to besiege Ba Sing Se again and betrayal won't work a second time. We will need to retreat and fortify our positions along the southern passages and the Si Wong. Send raiders to harass caravans on the way to Ba Sing Se. Burn down fields and farms, but leave refugees alive, just plunder their belongings. We want them to starve in that accursed city."

She stopped for a moment.

"What about my fathers body? Could it be recovered?"

"That is another point your grace. Your father is alive."

Azula raised her eyebrows so that they dissapeared under her hairline.

"He let himself get captured. Disgraceful. I thought he would die before dishonoring himself and his line like that. A Fire Lord captured by the enemy is unthinkable. That has never happened before."

"Hear me out, your grace. It was the Avatar. He did something to your fathers soul. Used the forbidden art of energybending to rip his bending away from him. His Fire is gone."

It was deadly still in the room. The silence seemed so thick that it could be cut with a knife. The knife were Azula's words as she spoke slowly, each word sharp and dangerous.

"He. Did. What?"

Azula began walking in circles.

"But how is that even possible? Can that even be done?"

Li sighed. "Not without permanent damage to the soul. His body and spirit are that of a Firebender. Taking ones bending is like ripping out a thread from an elaborate tapestry. You can't do it without destroying a lot of it in the process. He must feel cold and empty now, slowly wasting away as his soul yearns for a warmth that is gone now."

Azula shook her head. "Not even Ozai deserves this. Bastard he may have been, he was still my father. The Avatar had no right to take the dragon's gift from him. His life yes, his honor through imprisonment, disgraceful but yes. We should have heeded the warnings more."

She rubbed the bridge of her nose, looking far older than she had any right to.

"But we can use this."

Li chuckled. "True Propaganda is the best Propaganda."

"Indeed. Issue a public warning to all benders. Also send someone to the Firesages. It mus be decided how grave the danger to a benders soul is and if there is a possibility to reverse the process."

Li chuckled. "Of course. I have been so free to send Lo to them already. By now they are already researching. They will however need access to the sealed records in the catacombs."

"They have it", answered Azula. "Also tell them to find volunteers that search the ruins of ancient Fire temples. I want to know where Zuko learned the dancing dragon. If a dragon survived the purge it needs to be protected at all costs."

She inhaled and began stripping again, changing into her formal robes, which were rather difficult to put on alone until Li helped her with it.

"We need to step up recruitment. The loss of three legions is a heavy blow. Let the propaganda spin something about justice for the lost soldiers and the crimes of the Avatar. I want them to paint him as a soul stealing monster that has gone mad with power. I also want official word from the sages that denounce his actions as heretical. We will need preachers in the provinces, from the cult of the earth mother and the great dragons. We need to invoke the anger and fear of Earth- and Firebenders."

Azula had managed to put her robe on and was now busy somehow securing her crown in her hair. As Li moved in to help her she waved her away. "Send someone to fetch General Toshiro and begin with the propaganda. I have to make an official statement and if I can wrap that and the send off speech for the seventh up in one go all the better. I will find someone for my appearance."

…..

* * *

A good hour later Azula was properly clothed and her crown was, with the help of Ming and a few servants secured tightly atop her head. She was once again standing before a crowd of her citizen, this time not on the great plaza at the palace or at the altar of the temple but at the forum that separated the harbor from the military academy.

It was commonly used for the inspection of troops and as a place were orators from the academy could share their art with other interested people, but it was not as high class as the university near the palace, so even the lower classes could enjoy a bit of music, art or military glamour.

This day the place was parted in two. On one side there were lines of soldiers, men in the red and black uniforms of Fire Nation legionaries, small contingents led by their centurions. A chosen few from the lines of the seventh legion, the non essentials who would relay the Fire Lords parting words to their comrades, who were right now loading the ships and making the final preparations.

The seventh had been due to go back to the front anyway, only their destination had been altered, which was why Azula could have them mobilized on such short notice. They were originally bound for Ba Sing Se but to besiege that city now would be impossible and to dangerous. Omashu however could withstand the attackers if the reinforcements arrived on time.

The other half was the bigger group. Even on such short notice a sizable crowd had come together to hear the new Fire Lord speak. There were merchants still with their carts, passerby's who had noticed the royal procession, sailors and whalers working on their ships and children still free of school for the festivities of a new Fire Lords coronation.

Some already heard the news and their faces were crinkled in worry, others wondered what had happened that had the Fire Lords face looking so stern and were filled in by their companions.

Azula stepped forward, on a wooden pedestal over the crowd that was normally used for executions or smaller announcements.

"There have always been cruelties in war", she began slow and theatrical, sweeping her eyes over the captive audience. "Death, Destruction, Hate. We all endured a lifetime of war. I see old men in the audience and I see babes, carried by their mothers. We all know war very well.

I did not think that I would see an action in this war, so cruel, that I have not seen or committed it before."

She waited, drawing a deep breath. The people knew their Fire Lord, Azula the Kinslayer. They knew she was not one to mince words and her cruelty was legendary. That gave her words even more impact.

"We lost three Legions to the Avatar. We lost sons, husbands, mothers, daughters and fathers. We know that, we are used to that. The dead will not be forgotten and avenged in time.

Still the evil spirit that is our enemy has shown us that even the darkest depths of human cruelty cannot compare to a spirits terror. He ripped out my fathers very soul with his bending and only the dragons know how many of our soldiers were subjected to the same fate."

Murmurs and whispers. Some had already known, some were shocked and some just stared at her, not believing her words. Some people even began angrily shouting and were promptly silenced by their neighbors with a look towards the soldiers, who held perfectly still.

"I despise the Avatar, good citizens. Thinking himself a god and slowing the advance of humanity, so that he can rule over us. We, the Fire Nation broke free of the Avatar's yoke and look where we stand now. For a hundred years we were invincible, winning victory after victory. Our enemies were broken, not willing to do so much as breathe without the approval of their master.

Are we to believe that they found their will to fight just now? They can fight now, that their master is giving them orders again, gladly dying for his own dreams of a world where he rules over a flock of sheep."

She drew a deep breath. That was a topic Azula was quite passionate about and had discussed with many a philosopher or Firesage. Humans, violent by nature as they were remained ever changing, a change the Avatar opposed. As a vessel for a spirit that made sense, for uneducated people were far easier to rule and conflict created stronger humans. A humanity that relied on a savior for all their problems would never advance and strike out against their "savior."

"Their false god has shown his true face, ripping my fathers Fire from his body and leaving him an empty husk begging for death. This sacrilege, this presumption can and will not be left unpunished. There will be no peace with the monster or it's slaves!"

She raised her arms and drew Kinslayer, hoisting the sword high above her head. As one the soldiers followed her example, drawing their own, curved swords to honor their Fire Lord.

"There will be justice!", she bellowed out. "Do not despair. The great Dragons won't allow the Avatar to take our souls, I won't allow it. I promise to stand between him and each of you until my dying breath. He will not rape your souls as he did my fathers. Not now and not ever."

The soldiers exploded in applause and shouts, the civilians joining in a bit late but enthusiastic enough nonetheless. They would need a few days to think about the weigh of her words. And Iroh's spy's would soon enough carry her message to the Avatar. There were things even the great spirit of the world was not allowed to do.

After stepping down from the pedestal she was cut off by the High Firesage Lao, who was red in the face and huffing, having hurried towards her as soon as her speech ended.

"Yo- Uff Your Grace, wait, Huff, wait a second."

"What is it, Lao?", Azula asked, tapping her foot. "I need to overseer the deployment of the seventh."

"Your speech, my Fire Lord. Did you mean it?"

She nodded. "Every word. I am dragontouched. I cannot allow a sacrilege like that to exist"

He sighed. " I won't insult your intelligence by omitting that there were doubts among the priesthood, whether we should the line of Sozin to continue or if we should walk along the path of universal balance once more."

"Of course", Azula said. "Had you been treasonous I wouldn't have it allowed to go unpunished."

He continued. "But this monstrosity, it's a sign. A sign that shows us the right path. The temple has broken up all communications with Iroh and his name will be wiped from the tapestry of the Fire saints. But there is something you should know about the last Dragonslayer, my Lord."

Azula grinned evilly. "I am all ears. I had my suspicions about that actually. After all Zuko must have learned the dancing Dragon from somewhere."

"You are indeed worthy, your Grace. If you would follow me into the temple?"

Azula turned to Lo and Li.

"See to it that the ships are loaded and the soldiers deployed. If I am not back by the evening kill every Firesage in the capital and burn the temple."

Both of them bowed. It will be done, your Grace", said Li. And she and Lo turned around as one.

The old Sage crinkled his brows. "The threat was not necessary. I assure you, our intentions are pure."

Azula nodded. "I believe you, but I will still cover my back. I have been betrayed far to often to take unnecessary risks."

"I understand, your Grace. I hope what I am about to show you can convince you that my intentions are entirely honorable."

"Lead the way, priest!"

.-.-.-.-.

* * *

The temple looked different when the plaza was empty and the Fires weren't lit. It looked more intimidating, as if the eyes of the spirits were only concentrated on one person, judging and watching, waiting for the unfortunate soul who dared to enter their domain.

It had housed a rather nasty pair of white dragons when the last Godking ruled over the volcano, who demanded sacrifices from the believers. At least until Sindri killed both of them and destroyed the empire of the Sun Warriors, before the age of Fire Lords.

Azula followed the priest into the temple, where soft embers lighted a round room, with the new altar in the middle, a big stone, engraved with gold and four big candles on a red cloth, stylized with dragons.

"You've brought me here priest", Azula said. "Now talk!"

"You are impatient, Fire Lord. This is not a place for hasty decisions."

"Exactly", answered Azula. "That's why I want top be back at the palace, where I can make hasty decisions that involve the fate of this whole Nation. Now stop the act and just talk. I know that the Firesages have been uncooperative with the Fire Lords for the last hundred years and I don't blame you for it. But what about now?"

He sighed. "Now, we stand at a crossroads. The killing of the holy dragons was a terrible crime, which is why we never gave Sozin, Azulon or Ozai or full support. The Avatar seemed to be a possibility. The chance to take the old days back, to serve the dragon again in the Name of universal balance."

Azula nodded. "But his actions changed your minds?"

"They did. The taking of the holy flame is a crime that is as bad as Sozin's slaughter of the dragons. And to think that we thought about aiding this Avatar."

Azula narrowed her eyes. "You are admitting to treason", she remarked.

"Yes", he said. "But I think you know me well enough to believe me, when I say that I am loyal only to the faith. And at the moment it is you, that carries out the great Dragon's will."

"You really shouldn't go around admitting that to people. Whats stopping me from dismantling the faith and removing a possible knife in my back?"

"Besides public opinion after you declared yourself an ally of the faith? A gift that will show our true intentions, my Fire Lord. We desire nothing but to let our relationship shine in old glory again."

Of course Azula had no intention of attacking the faith. That would just earn her enemies she did not need at the moment. And she was certainly interested in the gift.

"Very well", she acknowledged. "I heard your oath at the ceremony. And I know that a member of the faith would not make such an oath lightly. I accept your devotion. But be aware that I will repay betrayal accordingly."

"Of course, your grace."

Azula sighed and rubbed her forehead. "I think I already know what your gift contains. How many did you manage to hide from Sozin and which one taught Zuko?"

He chuckled in a way that reminded her uncomfortably of her uncle.

"Well there are Ran and Shaw that live with a secluded sect of the cult of the eternal Fire. Iroh and Zuko learned probably from them, they have no love left for the Nation.

There is Irkhvrangar under a ruin in the southern jungles. We have records of him that date back to the times of Azulus and he is known for his cruel nature and playing with his victims."

"So contacting him is out of the question?"

"I don't think he cares about the pact or humans. There were three times hunting parties were send out to kill him but to this day it was not successful, even with the help of other dragons."

"So most of the surviving ones are ancients?", Azula asked.

"It is more that the ancients weren't even affected by the hunts. Greater dragons are not so easily hunted and far too intelligent to let themselves be found if they don't want to. Dealing with them is dangerous at the best of times."

"And I wouldn't really have the best reputation with them", Azula concluded. "Are there others?"

"There are rumors about dragons at the south pole and practically at every major temple in the provinces and in the Nation. I will draw a map with the most viable locations." He hesitated. "Still your highness, do you know how to subdue a dragon. Or to talk with the greater ones?"

"I read all the information in the catacombs that were available. Beating the lesser ones in combat is normally the way to gain their respect."

"That much is true but more. They will test your will, your passion and your bending. They will try ti kill you and test if you are worthy of flame. Dragons are Fire made flesh and their respect is difficult to regain, once lost."

Azula nodded slowly. "And I will have to gain their respect again, for me, my line and my Nation."

The old priest smiled. "Yes, you will." He raised a hand and a colourful flame ignited on his hand, flickering in many colours and illuminating his face in a spectacle of life.

"Fire is the celebration of life, the passion of existence and the rage against nothingness. Would you allow me to teach you? The way to communicate with dragons in their language."

Azula stared at the flame for but a second.

Then she ignited her own, royal blue flame. "Teach me!", she ordered.

* * *

 _Katara is a bloodbender. We know that. Azula doesn't. A bit short this time. But I thought it best to make the cut there._


	6. Burning wings

_Fire Nation Fun Fact: Dancing is in fact not forbidden in the Fire Nation, they are people of passion and dancing is a wonderful way of expressing said passion It is however considered uncouth for members of the high Nobility to jump around in public. Instead there are a magnitude of slow, storytelling dances that can be studied for social gatherings or great shows. They are also not really suitable for small children, being highly complicated and sophisticated or erotic in nature and also very complicated, based on advanced Firebending forms. The idea is, that a child should first master his firebending and his own body, then he can learn to dance if he wants to. Jumping around like a lemur on a sugar rush without proper instruction can teach the wrong movements._ _That is at least the thought behind the nobility's disapproval of casual dancing._

 _Some people say they just have sticks up their asses, at least until they have seen a firebending master dancer in action. They're good, very good._

* * *

 _The next chapter, in which Azula speaks with Katara and Ty Lee sings a song. Oh and Toph. I love toph._

* * *

Ba Sing Se's lower ring was littered with dark, shady pubs, selling alcohol, tobacco, cactus juice and sometimes the innkeeper's daughters. After the hard times after the end of Long Feng's rule they blossomed after the retaking of the city, because without the Dai Li there was no real city watch and soldiers loved this kind of Establishment.

As did Toph, who was drinking something the barkeeper had called beer but tastes more like piss, mixed with cactus juice. Nobody here in the lower ring cared about how old she was and after teaching some idiots why they shouldn't mess with a master Earthbender she was rather well known on the darker side of Ba Sing Se.

She used that to get away from Twinkle Toes and his endless crying about having not heard from Katara in the last week. She was honestly stunned about his naivety.

Did he think the war would end after Ozai's defeat, even if Zuko managed to defeat Azula? Leaving out that this was a pretty big if. Toph had fought the princess before, she was a dangerous opponent, not only for her Firebending but for her cunning. But even then, the war would continue.

Even with the kingdom pushing back and Aang on their side, the Fire Nation was winning, had been for a hundred years. They would not give up so easily, even, especially after the victories at Ba Sing Se and the blood stained fields in front of the city.

So Aang was complaining and Toph was escaping him and her responsibilities.

Currently she was listening to two men, both part of Bumi's Earthbenders, who had a heated conversation about something that bothered her too, ever since the battle.

"I really don't like it", groaned the first one, a fat man, heavy set and probably ugly. At least she guessed he was ugly. Not that she could really tell. Or knew how an ugly person looked. But he felt ugly.

"I know", his companion answered. "You haven't stopped complaining since the battle." He was shorter and thinner but probably just as ugly Maybe. Omashu's penal legions weren't the finest of soldiers but the kingdom was stretched thin and most of the recruits were conscripts and criminals. Toph knew how to handle them but she had no illusions about their character.

"I mean what stops him from doing it to all of us? He is a fucking goody two shoes. He wouldn't like us and what if he decides were not worthy of our bending either?"

His companion rolled his eyes. "Yes but there is a difference between harmless thugs like us and the Fire Lord."

"Yes, the Fire Lord has family to avenge him. Who would care if we lost our bending and are dropped out in the cold We would be wormfood by the night, shanked or worse."

"Again, we're not the Fire Lord."

"I don't think the naive child on the top sees the world as grey as we do. I mean Ozai's gonna get executed anyway without his knowledge. That's how these things work. No one takes the little kid seriously."

Toph snorted into her beer. Just fine. The troops were losing respect in Aang, the politicians were going over his head and if the white Lotus weren't running things from the shadows there would have been riots against Aang's stupidly naive decisions weeks ago.

Toph herself had to execute four people to keep the discipline in the Elite squadrons under her command. She didn't even want to know how many crimes were committed in the penal legions. She and the Generals had the agreement to not tell Aang how justice worked and she began to wonder how the air Nomads had functioned as a society if they were so against violence. No wonder Sozin wiped them out.

Now that most of the fighting was done and they weren't riding through the whole world Toph began to notice a few of her pupils more annoying traits. He was naive to a fault, unconcerned with the way the real world worked. Having been brought up by monks he was convinced his way was the right one and refused to consider alternatives or compromises.

His peaceful upbringing had made him blind to the ways of the world, be it the harsh life of the darker corners in the Earth Kingdom or the strict code of honor, the nobles of the Fire Nation adhered to.

It wasn't because he was the Avatar or an Airbender. Yangchen had been a badass from what she had heard and Kyoshi was still a role model for her. But she could not fathom why he just refused to see.

They were literally standing in a field of corpses and he still thought the war would end as soon as Zuko would be back. Toph didn't allow herself to hope. Zuko was probably dead, as was Katara.

Maybe it was the mindset of another time. He hadn't grown up with a hundred years of war, hadn't grown used to tales of tragedy and the ever present death, that came in news and crying widows.

Toph had killed a lot during the battle and she had dealt with it. She had been against sending Zuko and Katara alone into the capital, knowing well that Azula did not play by Aangs rules but he refused to listen. As if it was a game or he couldn't understand that there were no second chances for fuck ups.

Talking about how violence only begets more violence. Of course it did, that's why Azula was just now probably hell bent on revenge and had killed Zuko and Katara outright. Sometimes the circle of Violence could only be broken through a final strike.

She had tried to explain that multiple times, but he just wouldn't listen, talking about how taking Ozai's bending was the right choice, neutralizing him without killing him. He refused to understand how much of a sacrilege that was in the minds of the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom, who were as people far more concerned with material gains and greedy than the Water Tribes or the monks.

Bending was seen as ones soul for the gifted in both cultures and he probably destroyed all chances for negotiations with Azula. A hundred years of being gone and then he did get of his ass and did something so terrible that the soldiers were grumbling even in the penal Legions.

Seriously, give them enough booze and whores and they would follow you through he most terrible of atrocities. Not to mention the more religious types. Hell, Toph herself felt uncomfortable. Without her bending she would be less than nothing, she would be helpless, more than most. It scared her, that someone could make her that helpless.

The skinny one spoke again. "Still, I can see where you coming from. Not ev'n the fuck'n Flameheads deserve that. Better kill them 'right an' proper, none of that magic bullshit."

He was already slurring his words and his companion was fast asleep on the bar.

Toph shook her head and sighed.

"I don't like this, Twinkle Toes. I don't like this one bit."

* * *

It seemed to be a bad habit of Azula, to offset the interrogating of her prisoners. Gloating was fun and all but prisoners tended to be stubborn and annoying, especially this particular Waterbender.

But Azula wanted to talk to her. Did she know of the Avatar's terrible power? If not could she manipulated against him. If yes, the question remained how useful she was as a hostage. She was the daughter of the southern tribe's chief and their last Waterbender. She could be used to keep the southern tribe out of the war entirely. If she was really the Avatar's lover., crippling her like he crippled Ozai might be a viable option.

Katara was also located in the nicer cells, mostly because moldy prisons meant humidity and Azula didn't trust the prisoner around even the smallest quantities of water.

After Azula's lesson with the priest she had to address the problem of her heirs, which would be scheduled later that day. There were no legitimate heirs to Sozin's line anymore and no clear Fire Lord would emerge from the council. Ozai had a talent for playing the most powerful families against each other and the ones he trusted weren't Firebenders and so not viable for the title of Fire Lord. To Azula's luck her father had a healthy interest in getting his cock wet, even after her mother's banishment and so she had a rather large pool of Bastards to choose from.

The most useful out of the bunch would be called before the throne later that day. She would have to legitimate the most useful one. One of the base-borne ones would be best, not to ambitious but intelligent enough to not try her patience. Young, so he could be molded. She would see, which of the candidates would be best. The rest would have to bee either used or eliminated. There could only be one true heir and she had no patience in a game for her affections and succession.

"The prisoner?", she asked the imperial Firebender that had escorted her through the cells.

"Kept at the lowest level, with little water. Chained but not abused as you ordered", he said. Azula turned to Ming, who had followed behind her silently.

Bring her up into one of the interrogation rooms, set the table for two. I will eat with her and judge her intentions."

"Your grace, are you sure that's wise?", the Firebender asked. "She is a dangerous Waterbender."

"She is still chained, isn't she? Even so, I can defend myself against a weakened peasant, worry not." She waved both of them away to follow her orders.

Azula had no intention of interrogating Katara as a prisoner. That had already been done. No she wanted to throw her of guard,show her kindness and gain insight into more of her personality than her stubbornness. For that Azula wore her hair open, without the crown, the dark silky cascades falling down her bare shoulders, where a thin band of gold held up the red cloth of her breastpiece, a thin thing of silk that left little to the imagination. Her taut stomach was left bare, and the short skirt was embroidered with dragons, only reaching the middle of her thighs.

She was dressed to seduce, but also light enough to bend without difficulties. She wanted to seem relaxed, to make the prisoner think that maybe the Fire Nation had a lot of things left to experience, to break her out of her black an white world view.

Soon she found herself in one of the windowless room, normally used for interrogation. The heavy, wooden table had been decorated with a few candles, all burning blue in Azula's presence and a heavy, red tablecloth, to hide the scorch marks on it.

There was Kinslayer in all it's dark, unholy glory, the naked blade lying on Azula's side of the table. And a carafe of red wine, standing in the middle. It was a decision her guards had protested strongly, but Azula felt that there should be something to drink at a meal like this.

Offering wine like this to a Waterbender implicated a certain sureness in her power. Azula was rather confident that she could defeat a weakened Katara. The Water Tribes also weren't the people to break guest rights, after the bread had been broken. Still she was careful. It was midday and the sun was high in the sky, it was hot in the prison, almost unbearably so.

If Katara was as dishonorable as her lover however, Azula would skin her alive. After that she would gift the Avatar a tapestry made from the skin. That seemed to be a suitable punishment for what he did to her father and her spurned generosity. Even if it would be a shame. Her skin was a rather beautiful shade of brown.

There was a knock on the door, which was opened soon after by the imperial Firebender.

Ming came in, bowed and stepped aside, making the way free for the shackled prisoner behind her. Katara was still clothed in her blue dress, which was quite dirty now. Her whole appearance seemed dirty in general, but that was because it would be far too great of a risk to allow her contact with any source of water. She was only allowed to drink small amounts at a time and under supervision.

Her hair was ratty and unkempt, and only her blue eyes were still blazing as bright as ever, so full of hatred. So much hatred in these eyes. Azula liked it. It spoke of a passionate person.

She gestured with her hand and Ming opened the shackles with her key, the irons falling to the ground with a loud clang, that interrupted the quietness of the prison. The girl rubbed her arms to stimulate the circulation.

Ming gestured towards the chair that had been prepared at the table and sent a panicked look towards Azula as Katara refused to sit down.

Of course she made sure that Katara caught it. That girl was a good actress and miming the poor fragile servant girl would hopefully endear her in Katara's eyes. She would go down to her cell and talk about dreams and freedom and Katara, big hearted softie that she was ate it all up. That would hinder real rebellious elements from making contact with the prisoner and kept Azula informed of her movements. For that however she needed to play the cruel angle up. The Waterbender was naive and not stupid. Still that was a plan for another day.

Azula turned around and glared sharply at Ming, who let out an impromptu "Meep" and turned her pleading eyes towards Katara, who looked between the two of them back and forth and finally sat down with a huff and her arms crossed. Azula nodded at Ming, who bowed gracefully and left the room, shutting the door with a soft click.

Katara was left alone with Azula, glaring at her from her place at the table.

"Do you get off from it?", she asked. "Scaring that poor girl? Lording your power over her?"

Azula had to hide her smirk. Manipulating people was fun.

She decided not to answer, instead she sat down on the dark, wooden chair that was reserved for her.

"Eat!", she said. "You must be hungry."

Azula could practically see the hate pouring of from Katara in waves.

"What are you playing at?", she growled.

Slowly Azula took the wine and poured it into a chalice, sliding it over towards Katara.

"The situation", she said slowly. "has become quiet volatile. This war is turning into it's deciding phase. Your Avatar and Zuko destroyed every hope of a peaceful solution with their war crimes and the attack on me personally."

"Don't you dare talk about him!", Katara screamed at her. "You have no right to talk about him."

Azula slammed her fist on the table, shutting Katara up and spilling some of the wine.

"I alone have the right! Your stupidity and blind hatred forced me to kill my own brother. I have half a mind to send the Avatar your head, to show him even a fraction of my pain!"

The flames on the candles were burning higher and the Wine was swelling up and down when Katara reacted.

Azula took a deep breath, the candles burned lower again and she closed her eyes.

"Being angry will get both of us nowhere. Here are the facts. You are a useful hostage, but far too dangerous to keep prisoner for too long. I would have agreed to an exchange of prisoners and maybe a temporary ceasefire after Ba Sing Se, but with what the Avatar did I cannot allow peace between us even for a second. It's my duty as a bender and as a ruler."

"What the Avatar did? What do you mean? Did he kill Ozai?"

"I wish. He raped my father in spirit. Ripped his bending from him and left him to rot with half a soul."

"But he did not kill him."

She sounded glad? Why?  
"He did not", Azula agreed. "Instead he did something far worse. The faith will not allow me to make peace with you. Had he just killed him everything would be different, but he has shown exactly why we broke lose from the Avatar the first time around."

"What, Mercy and compassion? Ozai is alive. He can repent and redeem himself. Aang is a pacifist, he doesn't believe in taking lifes."

"And his believes are more important than any others? Who gave him the right to play god?"

"He is the Avatar. He works for the balance of the world."

"And that makes it right? The bending is part of our soul. He left Ozai cold and without his flame. Where would you be, if you couldn't whisper to the waves and hear the song of the moon? Where would the little Earthbender be, when she could not feel the mother earth under her feet. Nothing. As benders our very soul are attuned to our elements and without it we are nothing."

"That's not true", Katara said. "He deserved it."

"My father was an evil man, I won't deny that."

"You won't?" Katara asked perplexed.

Azula stood up, turned around and showed her one of the bigger burnscars on her body, parting her lower back and going up, to her shoulder blades.

"Believe me, I know that better than anyone, except maybe Zuko. Even though Ozai got even nastier after his banishment. I still loved him of course, but sometimes it was tiresome, to serve as his only outlet."

Katara's eyes traveled over the scar. "How... Did he do that?", she asked.

Azula laughed. "He had this odd fascination with marring beautiful things. Sometimes he would demand from me to bare my body and spent time to carefully burn it in very specific places. Endurance training he called it."

Katara's eyes had widened. "That's horrible."  
Azula shrugged. "Probably. It was normal at the time and I appreciated the attention."

"Still that's almost..:"

"Rape? Forget the almost. Still, we are the children of this war. We have all seen and done things that would have been unthinkable a hundred years ago. That's why I hate your Avatar. He was not born to a lifetime of conflict. He will never understand you or me, the hatred and the hopes we grew up with."

"That's unfair to Aang. He wants what is best for the world."

"Does he now? But what is best for the world and why would his reign be it?"

Katara's eyes narrowed. "That's bullshit. You can't believe me to accept that the Fire Nation would know what is best for the world."

"Of course not. I'm just saying that the Avatar may not be what is bests for Mankind. His balance brought stagnation and may do so again. We don't need war, we just need to step out from under the Avatar's yoke."

Katara snorted. "Do you hear yourself? A yoke? The Avatar protects us."

"And that means that the people don't need to protect themselves. It took a hundred years for the people to take up arms against the Fire Nation and strike back. Why not before? Why must the Avatar be the only hope? You are powerful enough as a bender. The bling girl, King Bumi,, Hama the cruel, Iroh. They're monster sin their own right. Why didn't they lead the resistance?"

"I..."

"I have a theory", Azula interrupted her. "I believe that the great spirit of the world has used the avatar to keep humanity weak, because it knows that we have the potential to rebel against the spirits."

"Thats just", Katara shook her head. "They didn't fight because they had no hope."

"But why? If the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom forged an alliance early on and attacked just after the great losses at the Air temples Sozin would have been defeated and the war would probably have ended. Why did they need a hundred years to forge an alliance. There is no particular cultural hatred between both of them that I know of. If not then, then after the hunting of Waterbenders started at the South Pole."

Katara's eyes narrowed dangerously.

Azula smiled sadly. "It was as stupid as the hunting of dragons and as the current Fire Lord I apologize, even if I can't undo it. It was an outburst of Azulon's paranoia, after Hama the cruel's rampage. Even if she was never caught."

"She is dead", whispered Katara: "I killed her."

Azula's eyes widened. "You did? I don't really know how to handle that. There was a great bounty ion her head but I don't really think you would want to take my gold. Why did you kill her?"

Katara shook her head. "I learned from her, but she was so sad, so devoured by her hatred, that she saw everyone as an enemy, who didn't follow her extreme ideals in her madness. It was a mercy."

Azula nodded. "Sometimes death is a kindness that only the wise can give. When I set you free, would you kill my father for me?"

"W-What?", stuttered Katara, caught of guard.

"He is a monster, but still my father. And he doesn't deserve his current fate. Set his spirit free, so it can be reborn and be redeemed."

"Aang just took his bending..:"

"And without your bending? How would you feel, if your bending had been taken from you. If you could no longer feel the presence of the calming water or the comforting whispers of the moon? He can no longer feel the warmth in his soul, or the suns rays on his skin. He is an empty husk, begging for a merciful death. What the Avatar did was not mercy, it was the proof I needed."

"Without my bending", Katara whispered. "I think we all would have died. We couldn't have landed a whale in the harsh Winters after the purge. I did it, when I was eleven. Whales are Waterbenders and only another Waterbender may beat them in battle, such is the pact."

Azula nodded. "Bending is a part of us, as much as our personality, our laughter and our dreams. The spirits who take these from us are among the most cruel and dangerous. You know of whom I speak", she said sternly.

"Faceless Koh", Katara murmured breathless.

"Yes. The Facestealer. He takes the face and the memories of his victims, leaving them endlessly wandering husks in the fog of memories. And what did the great spirit of the world, your lover, do to my father, I wonder?"

Katara sighed deeply. "I... May I have some time to think about that?"

"Of course", Azula said. "But think about that. Your lover is not human. He is a spirit and a vengeful one at that. They are not like us. I hope we can speak again."

She stood up and Ming and the guard came in, bowed.

While the guard let Katara to a prepared, if still watched and most importantly locked room at the tower Ming stood at the ready behind Azula, shooting Katara a meaningful look, who nodded.

They waited until the footsteps in the hallway had gone silent, until Azula spoke.

"She did not believe me", she growled.

"Why did you set her free then?", Ming asked.

Azula answered with a grin. "She isn't free. She still can't escape. And I don't want the Bloodbender to kill us all. Expect her to try something at the next full moon. I want you to have her sympathetic enough towards you, that she will try to take her with you by then."

* * *

The Fires burned high into the night, turning the hills into a mass of glowing spots to match the stars above. And around the Fires the soldiers sat, some of them staring into the flames, silently awaiting the battle, others were laughing and joking, trying to forget their coming death and some were singing, leaving others with wistful smiles and the memories of their homes.

They came from the whole Nation.

Pale and black haired nobles from caldera, serving as their family's troops leaders or in the heavy cavalry, riding salamanders and Komodo-Rhinos into battle, their heavy lances and long Katanas tied to their heavy armor.

There were Archers of the southern jungles, men and women clad in loose, green and black cloaks, wearing teeth and bones as decoration and their dark faces were painted with white skulls.

Yu Yan Archers, their Longbows made from Dragon-Horns and their eyes as sharp as their daggers stood watch, ready to riddle unfortunate enemies with arrows.

There were warriors from the wild plains, big, light armored men and women on foot, carrying long polearms and crossbows. Their Firebenders left their chests uncovered and tattooed symbols of dragons on their chests, the beasts getting longer with every defeated foe.

The light infantry, made out of conscripts and volunteers, armed with crude spears and shields, the backbone of the forces, helped by the Firebenders who were assigned to their units, all of them shaking in righteous fury and their anger raising the campfires even higher into the night.

Then there were the Veterans, the core of this army. They had been in the seventh Legion since it was founded, carrying long sabers and tower shields on their armors the image of a flayed man and their long red cloaks were adorned with blue flames.

The Princessguard. Azula's fist. The men and women who were in Iro Jawa, under general Sao then, before he was killed and Azula assumed command of the seventh Legion.

The story that was told among the soldiers mentioned, that, after the generals death all of the higher officers were arguing what to do now. Some of them wanted to retreat, others a frontal attack and others wanted to wait for reinforcements.

It was eleven year old Azula who ordered them all to shut up. She had been there as an observer, to introduce her to the war in a relatively safe and easy campaign. Azula's orders had been clear. To put the whole city to the sword. Every man, woman and child would die, their houses burned to the ground and their leader flayed alive.

She send a messenger with exactly these words to the fortress.

His head came back, along with a message from the leader, an earthbending General named Jing Fao, under Long Feng's command. The message said that he would enjoy taking her, after slaughtering her men.

Azula just laughed and said: "Now it is legitimate."

That night was an example of Azula's cruelty and the Fire Nation's strength. It is said that after Ozai found out he laughed so hard the curtains in his room caught fire and he had to get new ones. Of the five thousand men and women in the seventh legion seven hundred survived. Two hundred of these seven hundred marched no towards Omashu.

Of the twenty thousand inhabitants of Iro Jawa not a single one survived. They were hanged on the roadside, from the ruins back to the colonies, while the returning army carried their skinned leader with them, bound to a cross and carried like a banner.

These were the men Ty Lee sat with. Around their own Fire, were her, General Toshiro and the Officers of the Princessguard and no different from their soldiers they were staring into the flames, some in deep thought, some eating and some making Plans.

General Toshiro sat next to Ty Lee, nibbling on a loaf of bread and mumbling to himself, probably going over the plan for the sixteenth time. He was a short man, whose hair became grey early. Ty Lee knew him from the siege of Ba Sing Se. She thought him kind of boring but loyal enough.

Another man was staring at her from across the Fire and it was slowly making Ty Lee uncomfortable.

She raised an eyebrow. "Can I help you?", she asked.

He coughed. "Well I am Sorry, M'lady but there is one thing we among the guard have wondered for a long time now."

"And that is?"

"Are you really fucking the Fire Lord?"

Ty Lee couldn't suppress a snort. "What?"

"Well", he answered. "Back in Iro Jawa me and the boys always said that whoever would wind up courting her would have to have the most solid pair of balls that ever existed under the heavens. It was also said we would have to give them a stern talking to, not to hurt our little butcher, but we deemed that obsolete, because nobody would survive that."

The other men around the campfire nodded in agreement and Toshiro snorted.

Ty Lee shook her head, smiling.

"I am indeed _fucking the Fire Lord_ as you so eloquently said _",_ she answered.

Another soldier raised his bottle towards her "Holy shit. I don't know if you're the luckiest bitch in the Nation or if I should pity you."

Ty Lee laughed. "It's a mix of both I believe. But you get used to it over the years. She can be rather headstrong."

"Thats one word for it. Wait years? How long has that been going on?"

A woman asked setting a plate of roasted boar aside.

"Funny that you would ask. Since Iro Jawa actually, though we became official in Ba Sing Se." She shrugged. "Massacres seem to arouse her."

Toshiro snorted. "That makes far too much sense. And I don't need to know more about the Sex Life of our Fire Lord. Be quiet for a bit. I need to concentrate."

Ty sighed. "You have planned enough. Nothing good will come out of it now."

"We just know to little about our enemies movement. And Bumi worries me. Last time he didn't fight. Now we won't be so lucky."

Ty Lee stared into the flames, slowly balling her fist. "Leave Bumi to me", she said.

"Ohh, ominous", the first soldier said. "But she is right. It is to gloomy here. What about music? Who here can sing? I would do it myself but I sound like a rutting Rhino"

That earned him laughter from his comrades.

"What about the Dragonfucker? She looks like she would have a lovely voice", the woman said.

Ty Lee raised her hands. "First of we are not calling me the Dragonfucker. And I have indeed been told I had a lovely voice. "

"Then sing us something, little assassin. Make us forget that we all are going to die tomorrow", Toshiro said quietly.

Ty Lee stood up and clasped her hands behind her back and slowly began to sing a slow, powerful tune, that carried, despite her low voice:

.

 _Under burning wings we march,_

 _with dragon souls and steel in heart._

 _And before your golden eyes we are_

 _but dragonfire for your war_

 _._

 _My Lord I know your riches vast_

 _your Lady's beauty unsurpassed_

 _but the the treasure power brings_

 _is burning hearts and burning wings._

 _._

 _My Lord of Fire truly holds,_

 _the key to our dragon souls._

 _And in his name we're facing bold,_

 _the coldest shadows, burning gold._

 _._

 _And should I fall and rise no more,_

 _like many comrades did before._

 _Then to the golden skies you bring,_

 _my dragon soul on burning wings._

 _._

The slow song sent shivers over the backs of the soldiers, who stared into the flames with haunted eyes, lost in the memories.

.

 _When dragonfire burns the land,_

 _and evil falls before your hand._

 _Sword and shield and spear will break,_

 _Our burning hearts will keep awake._

 _._

 _When burning wings are laid to rest,_

 _a fire still keeps warm our chest,_

 _and from the ashes rises strong,_

 _immortal Phoenix, glory's song._

 _._

 _And night falls over ashen wings,_

 _as Firebird so mournful sings._

 _But you, my Lord will always stand,_

 _on burning wings, above the land._

 _._

 _Eternal is the Fires vigil,_

 _in your crown's beloved sigil,_

 _we keep it close to our heart,_

 _when under burning wings we march._

 _._

Burning wings was an old song, a song dedicated top the glory of the Fire Lords and their soldiers, mighty in spirit and strong as units. It had been written in the time of Vanir's heirs and was, with his bittersweet tunes sung among soldiers and nobles. It was a sad, carrying melody and the soldiers at the Fires around them stopped to listen.

It was quiet after Ty Lee finished, she too was caught in her memories.

It was Toshiro, who interrupted the silence. "We should sleep now", he said. "In the morrow we ride to Omashu and to war."

Ty Lee nodded. "To war again. I almost missed it", she said wistfully as the soldiers put out the fire and laid themselves to rest. "I won't disappoint you again. Azula."

* * *

This is the first english poem I created. If you want to sing it, thin of it as a slow, but powerful marching song, to the feet of thousands of armored boots.

I'm on vacation now, so it will be some time. After I'm back you get the battle of Omashu.


	7. Glimpses

_Sorry I had an accident and couldn't really write. All better now and I will begin again as soon as I have the time. There are still pesky assignments to write, which have to take priority._

* * *

 _Fire Nation Fun Fact: An Agni Kai is a sacred duel, used to determine the dominant Firebender in the eyes of the great dragons. It was originally the act of challenging a dragon to tame or kill it but was turned into a duel under the law sometime after Vanir's death. However not everyone can challenge everyone. An accused criminal can only demand an Agni Kai if his guilt isn't proven and a commoner may not challenge a noble, lest he can earn the right with great deeds. The Fire Lord can only be challenged by his family or a dragonslayer/dancer. It goes without question that only Firebenders are allowed to participate in the sacred duels. The winner may kill the loser or if he does not want to, mark him with a burnscar, to show his loss to the world. These scars announce the lost honor of the loser to the world. Among nobles the tradition has slowly made way for the cutting of the hair as a symbol for lost honour, especially among the women. However that does not mean, that marking ones opponent is not a perfectly legitimate practice._

* * *

 _The intermission (very short) chapter: In which Toph makes a decision, Mai meets someone she knows and nobody cares about the fate of a lone rat._

* * *

Toph was furious. No furious was an understatement. She was seething with anger, each step sinking deep into the ground and sending ripples through the earth. Behind her marched the first of her Metalbenders, hastily taught earthbending prodigies, both experienced veterans, their steps thundering on the earth that was torn open by Toph's rage.

The great gate of Ba Sing Se's palace were made of steel almost half a meter thick. They weren't broken in Azula's takeover, nor in the fierce fighting during the retaking of the city. Toph ripped a hole in them without even stopping, the metal tearing apart like paper under her fingers.

Soldiers, servants and everyone else jumped out of the way as the pissed of Earthbender made her way towards the private chambers, where the guests of the Earth King stayed.

Even here the floor was made of smooth marble, Earthbenders disliked carpets or wooden floors by principle, but it was heated by internal pipes which distributed heated water from a central room in the caverns below.

She kicked a door open and almost snarled when she felt Aangs surprise at being interrupted, where he was grooming Momo. As if they didn't have more important thing to do.

"Toph?", he asked. "What is this about?"

"What's this about?", she growled. "You ask me what this is about. How about the cancelled marching orders for our men?"

She threw her arms up. "I had six thousand soldiers ready to march towards Omashu. Our scouts tell us that the Fire Nation sent a Legion up there. We need to win there Aang, or they have a foothold deep within our territory."

He shook his head and Toph could feel his distaste. "We need to end this war, not further it. I trust Bumi to find a solution. We don't need more soldiers."

"You literally can't be this stupid!", screamed Toph, stomping her food and ripping apart the marble.

"I just didn't think they would fight without Ozai. Or that Zuko could persuade them", he defended.

"What did you expect? Azula was merciless in the first place but with what you did to her father she must be foaming at the mouth." Toph smoothed over the floor with a wave of her foot and got into Aang's face. "Shit I have no love lost for my parents and I would be upset."

"But I didn't kill him", Aang protested.

"That's the problem. I don't think you understand the Fire Nation's mindset. For a noble Death is preferable to dishonor and they hold their Firebenders in high regards, far higher than the Earth Kingdom it's Earthbenders and almost as much as the southern tribe their Waterbenders."

"But he is her father. I don't understand. He lives, shouldn't she be thankful?"

"She's probably even madder. I said it already. Death before Dishonor. You don't need to understand their mindset to know how it works."

He shook his head.

"Zuko wasn't like that."

"He was actually. One of the worst. He just abandoned his own culture because he despised it in the end. But he is now dead or worse. As is the sugar princess."

Aang screamed loudly and stood up, walking in a circle.

"If Azula harms her..."

"You don't learn, do you? Katara is probably as fine as she can be. She is a valuable hostage. But if you don't stop isolating yourself and preaching your passive shit you will lose the loyalty of your own people. There is already unrest among the benders. Have you even talked to them since the comet? They really don't like what you did. Fuck I don't like what you did."

"What do you mean?", he asked confused, stopping his wandering to look at her with his head cocked.

"Look at me!", Toph hissed.. "What would I be without my bending? A cripple, that's what."

"That's not...", he began but she shut him up with a snarl.

"I spent years honing the one skill that wasn't hindered by my lack of sight. My bending is more than my life Aang, it is my soul. You took that from Ozai. The suicides among the prisoners have tripled because Sokka is always threatening the Firebenders with you."

Aang looked uncomfortable. "I would never..."

"Yes, I know that and Sokka, too. He just wants them to suffer and knows that you would not approve of executing them."

"To suffer? He is just worried about his sister."

"We all are. But as much as I would like to paint Azula as a monster she is also pragmatic. She won't hurt Katara too much if we and that means you don't do something stupid like taking her father's bending away!", she almost screamed at him.

"I thought this was best. No one had to die."

Toph snorted. "Except Azula you mean. I repeat, what were you thinking? You sent Zuko to kill her, two people against a Nation and wonder why she took offense to that."

Aang seemed hesitant. "He wouldn't have killed her..."

"Boy, would he. He talked about it with Iroh, if you remember. As much as I love them, they are still Fire Nation, especially Iroh. As Firebenders they are far more passionate about love and hate than we can comprehend. Zuko hated his sister and Azula loves her Nation. It was inevitable."

Aand seemed to be looking for a way out. "I just thought.."

"No you didn't. Stop thinking. You wanted to hold on to your stupid beliefs and held everyone else to your standard. This war may be new to you, but we others fought it for a hundred years. Or parents grew up with death, I grew up with Death, Sokka, Katara, Zuko and Azula grew up with death as their companion. There is no place here for pacifists."

He was holding back tears by now. "But all life is sacred., That still hasn't changed. You all just have forgotten that", he accused.

"Hard top see it as sacred when people are dying like rats every day for a hundred years.

Even the airbenders didn't at the end. Did you know that Fire Lord Sozin commended the Monk Gyatso for wiping out his honour guard and standing his ground to him on the day of Sozin's comet? There is a song in the Fire Nation about that."

"How can you say that?"

"Well, maybe somebody had to wake you up. Grow up Aang. The world isn't nice"

"Get out!", he screamed and a burst of air staggered Toph.

She turned. "You are losing friends fast Aang. The Fire Nation has preached for a hundred years that the world does not need the Oversight of a spirit. Maybe they are right."

"I stopped a mad tyrant from taking over the world."

"Ripping out his soul in the process. People fear you, maybe rightfully so. You are not a god, Aang, you don't have the right to mess with People's souls. Not even Kyoshi would go that far."

"He snorted. "His bending isn't his soul."

"For people like him and people like me there is no difference. Better get your act together if you want to save Katara. The Fire Lord is also one of these people."

"I will not..."

He was interrupted by the door opening. Pakku was standing in the doorway, arms crossed and shaking his head. "I am sorry to interrupt, Avatar but there is a problem."

"Of course there is", growled Toph.

Pakku ignored her, clutching a small piece of paper in his hand.

"It is Iroh. He is gone."

"What do you mean, gone?", asked Aang perplexed.

"Guilt I would guess", chimed in Toph. "He sent his nephew to his death at the hands of his niece, after he refused to fight his brother. Seemed hypocritical enough to me before he went through with it."

Aang crinkled his eyebrow. "You are very blunt today."

"I am always blunt, but I am especially done with everyone's bullshit. While you and the Lotus have your head in the clouds and talk about balance and all that shit, the rest of us have to talk logistics, moral and manpower. All of them are shit by the way."

"That's what I am here about", said Pakku. He lifted the piece of paper. "Bumi has marched towards Omashu, but the seventh Legion is not far off. He will try to take the city before the reinforcements arrive."

"I don't like this", said Toph "With Azula on the burning throne their tactics are going to change. Ozai crushed every opposition, straight forward and dangerous. Azula is a manipulator and she is good at that. She will try to misdirect us and only force a direct confrontation when she is sure she can win., Having her army in Bumi's back is maybe not a good idea."

Pakku snorted. "Bumi has been doing this for a long time. I think he is a little better at that game than some little girl."

"You mean the little girl, who took Ba Sing Se with three people? But don't come crying to me when she outsmarts you." She shook her head. "I think we can use Azula's different mindset. She is far more pragmatic than her father,as much as I hate to say this, let's get her on the negotiations table. We can get a ceasefire, maybe even an exchange of prisoners."

Pakku shook her head. "No, not now where the hope for balance is so close. If we allow Azula to remain Fire Lord, their attitude will not change. They will still deny the spirit of the world."

Aang looked very uncomfortable when he said this.

"Fuck the spirit of the world. I'm not saying we should make all buddy buddy, but a ceasefire would help both sides and give us some much needed breathing space. Our men are tired and demoralized and if I know Azula she has her people foaming at the mouth in righteous fury after Aang's stunt."

"The Avatar did what he thought was right", Pakku said. "A little girl has no right to question him."

"You know what?", said Toph. "I am out of here, maybe you should talk to the men who are dying for your stupid religious ideas. It could offer perspective"

Even more angry she left the room,because of her blindness not catching the helpless look Aang sent her and Pakku's soft smirk. She just heard Pakku say: "She will come around, Avatar. As the great spirit of the world your judgment was just, she will see that."

Toph barked at one of her guards: "Bring me Fung! Tell him I know that he is spying for the Dai Li and if he knows what is good for him he will not try to lie to me again."

The man hurried of.

"I'm sorry Aang", she said. "But your weird little cult is not worth the lives of my men. And their bending even less" She found something in her pocket and took it out, a smooth, carved peace of wood. It was the Lotus piece from a Pai-Sho board.

Toph couldn't see it, but it was the black Lotus tile.

...

* * *

Mai was lost somewhere in the deepest ass end of nowhere. She had no idea where she was other than somewhere in the Colonies. Or was she already in the Earth Kingdom? Her compass was broken and her orientation in the wild had always been shit. Her ostrich-horse had fallen and broken it's leg during a storm four days ago, her clothes were dirty and she lived from whatever she could gather or hunt if she was lucky.

Cursing she went down as her foot caught on a brunch. For a moment she just laid there. Then without bothering to stand up she leaned her back against a tree and sighed. How long had it been?  
She had left the ship hoping to reach Ba Sing Se and find Zuko. Then the storm came. She should have reached the Si Wong desert days ago, instead she was lost in the woods, without a path. If it weren't for her survival skills she would have been dead three days ago. If only Azula were here. Mai hadn't realized how much she relied on the princess for guidance. She felt so lost without her, unable to formulate a more concrete plan other than: "Try to find Zuko and figure everything out from there. Wasn't it funny how here first thoughts in a crisis were of her princess and not of the man she claimed to love?

Why had she given everything up?

She could have had everything. As Azula's enforcer, if she played her cards right even as her Fire Lady. Instead she chased stupid dreams of teenage love for a known traitor who had deserted her two times and didn't care for her half as much as she did for him. She had thought she made a sacrifice for love and instead she betrayed the one friend she ever had. A friend who showed mercy even after her betrayal. She had misjudged Azula and was now paying dearly for it.

A realization slowly dawned upon Mai.

She laughed. " I lost my honor and was sent away to die. How very ironic."

Still giggling she drew a long knife from the folds of her clothes and wrapped her long, black hair around her left hand.

It was filthy and tangled. If her mother could see her now she would probably have a fit. "A lady's hair is her pride", she had always said. "I don't have any pride left", Mai whispered, before taking the knife to her hair and cutting it off in unclean, ragged cuts. It was no less than she deserved. She might not care all that much but she was still a noble of the Fire Nation and traditions were important.

No. She wasn't a noble anymore, wasn't she? Slowly she lifted the knife towards her throat. There was a way out, but Azula had spared her. She owed it to her. She had to at least try to life the life Azula had gifted her. As one last gift, from her oldest and greatest friend.

The knife slipped from her grasp and she buried her face in her hands an cried.

She didn't know when she fell asleep but she awoke to a voice, asking her if she was alright and looked at the blurry face that had appeared above of her. Long, dark hair and pale skin.

"Azula", she whispered and the hand, feeling her pulse seemed to recoil.

Slowly Mai sat up and saw the woman before her.

She had mistaken her for Azula, because she looked like Azula, the same hair, the same strong chin and high cheekbones, but she also didn't look like Azula. She was far older, without the golden eyes of Azula's line or that sharp, calculating gaze. Instead there was kindness in this woman's eyes.

"Are you alright", the woman asked and Mai remembered day spent under the scorching sun in the burning palace and a crying Zuko.

"You", she whispered, while slowly standing up, her hands darting towards her knife.

The woman smiled kindly at her. "Do we know each other?", Lady Ursa asked with far more life in her voice than Mai had ever heard.

* * *

Ba Sing Se's sewers were a bit underdeveloped in comparison to the rest of the city. They were alright under the palace and the higher rings, but tended to be forgotten by the builders of the lower rings, were only a few holes led to underused sewer tunnels, that had long since been opened to the caverns, where old spirits and terrible secrets lurked.

And rats. A whole lot of rats. Seeing rats was nothing unusual, even in the higher rings of Ba Sing Se, be it the big and rather dangerous Wolf-rats or the smaller but more numerous Mouse-rats.

So nobody sparred the lone small rat that was lying in a corner on the street any mind.

This rat looked rather sick. Big patches of fur were missing, it was thin and the bones were showing.

However because nobody spared it a second glance, they also missed the hundreds of fleas that were visibly infesting it's fur. And they missed the big red purulent bulge on It's stomach.

The rat died unlamented and unseen, but it's legacy would be a terrible one.

* * *

Cold Water was dripping from sharp, ragged stones. A constant noise, enough to drive the listener into madness if listened to for too long.

Twinkling crystals with razor sharp edges were growing on the jagged stone that looked like it had been melted a long time ago and was now solid again, stilled in an unstable flowing motion without movement. Chains were clinking as something moved in the darkness.

Something big.

The chains, who were bigger than a humans torso, were anchored to the walls, deep and strong. Still most of them had been long since broken by the gnawing teeth of time. Whatever they once helld, it had been freed a long time ago.

But it still remained.

The crystals were slightly glowing as something moved in the darkness again.

A big, clawed hand, with five fingers grabbed one of the bigger stones.

A gigantic, leathery wing unfolded, until it touched the ceiling.

A forked tongue slithered between sharp, curved teeth, tasting the air slowly.

And a burning, golden eye opened in the darkness.

* * *

More of a collection of short glimpses into things that happens shortly before the battle of Omashu


	8. A sacrifice

_Fire Nation Fun Fact: In a hundred years the Fire Nation has perfected the occupation of conquered territories. The trick is to pander to those who were unhappy with the previous regime. This is relatively easy, because of the decentralized nature of the Earth Kingdom, where the Earth King rules in name only and it is easy for individual rulers to rise to power over one or several city-states. Without oversight they often turn out tyrannical. Fire Nation governors are masters of manipulating oppressed populaces with gifts and laws, so that reconquerors are often met with unfortunate surprises when their own people stand firmly on the side of the hated invaders._

 _The seventh chapter, in which the battle of Omashu is fought and Azula makes a sacrifice_

The seventh Legion had one big advantage over most other unity in the Fire Nation military and that was, that Azula really liked them. They were her soldiers, the ones she personally commanded and knew and the ones she had utmost faith in.

That meant they got all the shiny toys.

Tanks, trains that new contraption that was currently towed by six Komodo-Rhinos on the hill a bit to the east of the army, just out of sight. To be honest he didn't really trust that thing, especially with how many warnings he had gotten that it could blow up but if it worked the Dragon's breath would be the most powerful peace of artillery he had ever seen.

He heard some kind of Fire Sage had invented the explosive powder they used to propel a projectile at great speeds towards the enemy, far more than a catapult could manage. His catapults were standing there to of course, with enough ammunition to rip the city apart should the new toy fail to deliver. The men were already loading the shrapnel, to rip the infantry apart.

And as they were standing battle ready and slowly advancing towards the besieged city, General Toshiro couldn't help but be proud of his Legion, all four-thousand-fivehundred-and-six men and women. The line of the infantry stretched wide among the plains, their spears pointing towards the city and the enemy in the distance. Conscripts, tribal Warriors and Line infantry, standing shoulder to shoulder as a wall of steel and bravery.

In the middle were the Veterans, the zealous follower of Azula, their longswords at the ready and backed by disguised Dai-Li Agents as a surprise for their enemies.

Two full wings of imperial Firebenders marched to the flanks, their skull helmets as intimidating as their black armor and red cloaks, which were feared all through the Nations.

Their steps were perfectly synchronized and all of them were silent, bringers of death, ready to unleash flame on their enemies in the Fire Lord's name.

To the flanks, ready to rush in was the true genius of Fire Nation engineering. Between rows of archers were the battle tanks, terrible behemoths of steel and smoke, crushing the ground under their weight. Armed with a Firebender in the front they stood ready to destroy any organized Formation. They were held back until King Bumi was spotted, because Metalbenders would be their one weakness and it wouldn't do to have them taken over by the enemy.

He himself led the cavalry, noble men and women on Salamanders and rough riders on big, lumbering Komodo-Rhinos, who served as slow but heavy cavalry to defend the flanks of the battle Tanks, who were vulnerable in their rears.

His own noble retinue would be a quick harassing unit, to reinforce wavering parts of the infantry. Firebenders on Salamanders were a quick and deadly foe.

Slowly advancing his snorting beast he let his gaze wander over the enemy.

There was smoke rising up from within Omashu's walls.

It was encircled by a great many of soldiers. He could see siege towers, both normal ones and earthbend ones. Slowly the green clothed soldiers were forming a line to meet his own army head on.

It would be too much to ask for stealth in the middle of the day and with an army of that size. Still he had a few Yu-Yan archers in recon teams that should provide a distraction. He tried to find the Lady Ty Lee but she was already gone, probably on the way to her mission.

Slowly he steered his Salamander towards the front of the army.

"Princessguard!", he bellowed and was met with a loud shout from the Veterans, the other soldiers chiming in a bit too late..

"I remember when we were led by our princess in Or Jawa, fighting skirmishes and besieging better villages", he stopped and grinned.

"Now our little Dragon is the Fire Lord and we fight in the big leagues. But we are still Azulla's guard, we are the followers of the azure Flame. We are the seventh Legion and we are chosen by our very own Fire Lord to be the very best!"

He spread his arms wide. "Death to all enemies of our Lady!"

"Death!", the Veterans roared and even the other soldiers seemed more enthusiastic now.

He sent a Fireball into the air, the signal for the artillery to fire.

He could already see that many of the enemies catapults had turned around and had begun to fire.

Firebending didn't really lend itself towards long range warfare, except lightningbending. The Earthbenders however could load their catapults far faster than his men could.

"Charge!", he roared.

And his riders turned towards the side to hit the enemy in the flank after the engagement. If there was one thing the Earth kingdom was lacking it was good cavalry. Ostrich-horses just couldn't compete with the strong Komodo-Rhinos or the aggressive Salamanders and Mongoose-Lizards.

Not to mention the tanks.

Earthbenders however could easily negate a cavalry charge, as could Firebenders, which was why most battles in the Nations were fought with infantry and benders.

A low rumble was heard as his men began to advance towards the enemy, who was now flinging big rocks in their direction, with and without the catapults. They were not yet in range for arrows of Firebenders.

A man on an Ostrich-horse was ridding alongside his Salamander.

"Sir, the Dragon's breath is ready to fire. The scouts report movement in the forest and fear an ambush."

Toshiro stroked his beard. Tell them to fire it when ready. They know it's effect best.!"

He turned to his riders. "Everyone with a mongoose- lizard needs to hunt the ambushers in the forest. Earthbenders will be hindered by the trees and our lizards are perfect for that. The Salamanders will reinforce the Tanks in their attack and act as quicker units to counter threats to the Rhinos!"

"What about you, General?", a soldier asked.

He grinned. "I will be leading my men!"

* * *

The new innovation had been met with suspicions and smiles. What use could a weapon be that fired so slowly and was likely to explode? The Fire Lord however had been intrigued and ordered a test run on the Dragon's breath. After the prototype blew up a successful test showed that the weapon could have far more firepower, while being far more precise than a catapult. The problem was the reloading and the danger.

Still the team had been training with the weapon from the beginning. They were all mad in the eyes of the catapult's normal crew, where they saw themselves as pioneers, pilgrims on a new path.

And so they were singing and smiling as they lighted the fuse.

They were singing and smiling as the projectile fired and ripped a bloody line through the panicking infantry of the Earth Kingdom.

They were still singing and smiling as the barrel exploded and ripped them apart in a shower of hot glowing shrapnel under the horrified gazes of the catapult's crews.

Still they did what they intended. The weapon was intended as a moral breaker and that was what it did. On both sides of the battle.

* * *

Li always had simple aspirations in life. Taking over his fathers farm, marrying a nice girl, having a lot of children and living his live without intervention by nobles or vengeful spirits.

Then the big man on top got himself killed by the Avatar, the new bighead needed new fodder for her armies and he was drafted into the new bunch of recruits for the seventh. Better him than his little sister he had thought at the time.

Now he was really regretting that as he was pushed forward by the man behind him, towards the line of men, looking as haggard and fearful as he did, just clothed in green and silver instead of black and red.

His hands clutching his spear tightly he glanced two rows behind him at the taskmaster of his bands of recruits.

Asshole's stupid beard was even easy to see with his helmet on. The whoreson was an absolute slave driver and every recruit on his unit absolutely hated him.

Now he looked as fearful as the rest of them.

Big strong and with his head shaved bald, the whip he so generously used still on his hip, he was shaking like a leaf, his eyes wide and locked unto the marching enemies.

They would probably all have turned tail and run, if it weren't for the heavily armored elite regiment in their rear. Wearing full helmet and longswords they marched in perfect unison, the second line held long halberds and after that came a line of crossbowmen. They were there to rip into the enemy when they were distracted by the conscripts in the front.

With the scary and silent imperial Firebenders at the flanks there was no way that someone would attempt to flee. So Li was closing on to the enemy, shaking like a leaf and praying to every spirit he could imagine that he would survive this day.

Then someone, he didn't know who, began to sing.

It came somewhere from the line of the conscripts and it was done in a shaky, weak voice almost unheard above the marching of boots and the clanging of weapons.

But it was there and it grew louder as another voice chimed in and then another.

Soon even the bulky Warriors behind him began to sing, the sound sounding hollow beneath their helmets. And even Li began to follow the melody, his worries getting lost and something that a poet would later describe as bravery seeped into his bones.

Singing the lines clashed into another. Li was still singing as his spear broke in the neck of a bearded man with sad eyes. He was singing as his he fell down, slipping on something red and wet he couldn't identify. He sang as he was skewered by a curved blade and his singing ended as the boy who killed him, maybe twelve summers old, hacked away at his face, turning it into a bloody mess long after he was dead and only stopped after he was burned alive by one of the Firebenders, his screams only underlining the chorus of the soldier's last song.

* * *

Yi Si had been a defender of Omashu's walls for a year. Traine part of the local militia, she joined initially because of the great benefits the new Governor promised the families of the soldiers. Even women could sign up, something that would have never happened under the old King Bumi. Yi Si had been very proud, showing of her new black and red uniform, even if people were calling her a traitor and spitting at her in the streets., even if her grandma wouldn't look at her any more.

She finally had power and she was not willing to give it up again for the traditional values of some old government that never did anything for her.

She was paid more money than she had ever seen, got three meals a day and didn't need to marry someone just to support her family. In her opinion the occupation through the Fire Nation was the best thing that ever happened to the city.

Others longed for the old days, the days of King Bumi, who brought trade to the city, were people had freedom. But she had heard the Governor once say, when she was stationed as his guard, that freedom was the price people paid for order. As someone from the lower classes, who had zero chances of ascending to a higher class because she wasn't an earthbender she preferred the order of the new regime over the freedom of the old one.

As a soldier her not being an Earthbender was an advantage, because she was not inherently mistrusted by the Firebenders and even though she was still the target of ridicule by the Fire Nation natives she hoped she could change their minds through bravery in battle. She even built a little shrine in her room for the great dragons and she attended the services to the first Flame in the new temple, even though she didn't understand most of it.

Her mother prayed to the great mother earth every night to guide her on the right path, but in Yi Si's opinion the dragons had done more for her and were more deserving of her worship.

Her hand touched the topknot she wore her hair in, in the style of the Fire Lord, long may she reign.

She was a defender of Omashu's walls.

One of fifteen that still lived from around three hundred.

The great Walls of Omashu weren't as old or strong as those in Ba Sing Se but they were still built in an older time and far too strong and high to be bent by lesser Earthbenders.

Yi Si and the defenders fought bravely, kicking their ladders down, showering the attackers in burning oil and throwing rocks down onto the archers. She had killed a man. And then another. It got easier and easier after each time. Maybe it was because the battle wasn't over but she didn't really have a problem with that. Maybe the shock would come later? If she survived that long.

During the retreat from the wall she had been lucky nothing more, she was sent to get more ammunition and literally ran into her surviving comrades.

They had held their positions well, until Bumi came.

The mad king had ripped the wall in two with his powerful bending. He had that glint in his eyes that often ended with him laughing and his subjects terrified but this time there was murderous sheen in his eyes.

He had been cackling, when he tore down the walls. He was still cackling as he slaughtered the defenders, who couldn't hold a candle to him, be they natives or Fire Nation. The surviving fifteen had retreated to the citadel of the old palace, where thy had barricaded the doors with barrels of sparkpowder and the stone walls of their lone Earthbender.

The Governor stood in the middle of the hall, showing his defenders that he was among them, even tough his face was a mask of fear. Yi Si didn't know where his wife and his son were. Hopefully far away. The enemy had shown once before that he was not above harming children to get what they want. Fire nation or not, Bumi's cruel humor had not been loved by his people and the soldiers rather liked their new Governor.

There were sixty-four soldiers with him in the hall, ready to defend the city to the last man. Thirty-one of them were born and raised in the Earth Kingdom, Yi Si among them. They stood shoulder on shoulder with the others, all prejudices and differences forgotten in the face of death.

"Why haven't they broken in yet?", one of the defenders asked. "Maybe something took their attention?"

At this moment a horn sounded, loud an clear through the city.

"The seventh is here", the Governor laughed. "The Fire Lord hasn't abandoned us yet."

* * *

Fui Hang despised the redcoats. Fucking Flameheads with their disgusting lifestyles taking over their city and the minds of their youth. As soon as the wall had been breached he had grabbed his old flail and joined the army of King Bumi, even killing a few fucking sympathizers on the way.

It felt good to finally let his rage out,. To avenge Hu and he screamed his hate out loud, when he slaughtered the fucking redcoats.

Then the horn sounded and the soldiers around him seemed to scramble and turn. "What is happening?", he asked but nobody answered him as a second horn sounded, this one seemingly a signal of some kind. Three short bursts and a long one.

"What is happening?", he wondered again, before he shrugged and turned in the direction of the citadel, to hunt down the last of the sympathizers and the Governor.

* * *

The second horn was something every commander in the Legion had received and everyone of them knew the signal they should use.

This time it was used as the second flank collapsed under the onslaught of great boulders and the tanks at the front being torn apart into tiny shrapnel, that stripped the flesh from the bones of their crews. The shaking commander took out the horn and blew the signal, that could only mean one thing: Bumi was here.

The mad king cackled as he impaled a woman on a spike of earth and created a whirlwind of sand, dirt and metal fragments that acted as a barrier, so that no one could come close to him. Three imperial Firebenders tried to hold him of, but he shrugged their flames of and crushed on of them under a tank. Then he wrapped the armor of the tank around him and began pounding the other two with his fists until their rips broke and they coughed up blood, their flames doing nothing to the raging king.

Still wearing the crude armor he stalked towards the scrambling commander and lifted him up by his throat, an evil glint in his eyes. "I'm taking my city back", he snarled. "And the rest I'm taking for killing my pet."

A spike extended from the armor, ready to impale the man, who was parying and blubbering wildly, but the deadly attack never came. A Salamander slammed into Bumi, the great war beast toppling him completely in his heavy armor. The animal oppened his jaws and closed them around the head of Bumi's metal armor, it's venom dripping on the metal, but Bumi managed to shield his eyes.

"You will do nothing", growled General Toshiro as he gripped Bumi's helm with a burning hand, to cook him in his armor. The weight of the animal holding him down, Bumi managed to get one Arm free and formed a blade, that bit deep into the flank of the Salamander, that loosened his grip enough for a boulder to erupt from below Bumi and throw the lizard aside.

Toshiro stumbled back, but blocked his own boulder with a massive torrent of flame, countering with a Fireball of his own, that Bumi dodged, but to do so he had to ditch the metal armor.

His hair was singed and his face red from the venom and the Fire. In his eyes the madness burned and he howled as he began forming his sandstorm again, butting Toshiro's flames aside like flies and preparing to flay him alive.

But the loyal Salamander was not dead yet and the War beast's hard scales blocked the swirling sand long enough for him to latch onto Bumi's left arm, crushing the limp with it's jaws and rending the flesh with the jagged teeth and venomous saliva.

Bumi screamed and impaled the poor animal on a massive spike of metal, that even with it's dying breath held unto the enemy, protecting it's rider to the last.

General Toshiro screamed in rage and unleashed a big wall of Fire towards the struggling Bumi.

Now an interesting tidbit of Salamander's venom is, that it is not overly deadly, just painful but it is also highly flammable. When the Fire touched Bumi's arm it was like it had been drenched in oil, consuming the limb and the dead lizard in an explosion that.

Toshiro was seething with rage and panting, then turned around towards his men, who had managed to drive back the enemy enough for them to form a defendable line again, even without the tanks. A few Rhinos from the other Units served as rally point.

"Hold the fucking line!" he screamed before he was bisected by a cackling and screaming Bumi, whose severed left arm was dripping blood. His last thought was about his men and his loyal Salamander, a General until his last breath.

Bumi had formed the side of a tank into a massive blade, that was now fused to the stump of his left arm, still dripping blood from both him and the general.

He didn't however attack the rear of the defensive line, but jerked his head around like a bird in strange, unnatural movements. "Come out, come out, little Songbird. I know you are there."

His gaze turned towards a crashed tank, where a lone figure was standing against the sun.

Bumi laughed and pointed his blade at the figure.

"An assassin just for me? The little Fire Lord must be desperate."

Ty Lee shook her head, jumping down from the tank and landing on one leg, the other swinging around flipping a few needles into her hand from their sheaths.

It was a trick she had copied from Mai, which meant the needles were dripping with poison.

"Not desperate", she said. "Just disgusted. Now the white Lotus shows it's true face, snarling and biting like the fanatics you are."

"We are just heralds for a new age. The age of the Avatar will begin!", Bumi shouted and attacked her with a boulder, that Ty Lee dodged with barely any effort.

"What are you?", mused. "Did she sent me a little Firebender? I bet you are a Firebender, you people love your benders and your false spirits."

Ty Lee had trained enough with Azula to know a lot of Firebending Forms by heart, so she sprinted directly towards Bumi, her arms swinging as if she wanted to summon a flame. He made ready to summon a wall and bring the big blade down on her, but she jumped upwards and touched his neck with her index Finger.

A shudder went through the mad king and he swung his blade backwards, clipping Ty Lee and ripping her corset open, but not spilling her guts out like he hopped.

His free hand went to his throat and he looked at her with pleading eyes, the madness gone and only fear left.

Ty Lee touched her own neck, just below her jaw.. There is a pressure point here, that is half hidden under the muscle. It is connected to your windpipe. It takes a very skilled chi blocker to reach it, but when you can manage it then you already won. Because the enemy will be to busy gasping for air and wondering why exactly they just can't breathe.

She dodged a few more boulders until Bumi turned a very disgusting shade of blue and fell to his knees. She kneeled down beside him and grabbed him by his hair, exposing his throat. Slowly she took General Toshiro's sword from it's scabbard by his corpse, all the while Bumi's sight began to darken. In a last effort he sent a sharp peace of metal directly towards Ty Lee's throat, but just before he fell unconscious he felt his hand being grabbed and a sharp blade at his throat.

* * *

Azula cursed as she slipped again on the narrow mountain path. A few rocks rolled sown the path and over the cliff, falling all the way down to the crater below. The monastery of the eternal Flame laid high above the crater that made up the capital city, where the edge of the volcano had been once.

It had been neglected during the war, but was and had always been a place of healing. The nuns were different from the Firesages, having mastered the art of healing with their Firebending. However where water healed the body, fire healed the mind and it was considered less useful because of that. Azula however knew how much a sound mind was worth and wouldn't dare to belittle the nuns.

The monastery was a small chapel, without a tower or bells, just the symbol of a sun painted on old brick walls. An old woman with long white hair and clad in a red robe sat on the front step and was feeding a bunch of chicken-ducks.

When Azula came forward she looked up and smiled a toothless smile.

"Welcome", she said in a very low voice. "It has been some time, since a Fire Lord visited us up here on our mountain. Do you come to seek our healing arts?"

"I have already been healed by another", Azula answered, staying still just in front of the old woman, who gazed very intensely into her eyes.

"Yes, I can see that", she whispered. "That dragon, always meddling. Always interfering. I can see why he gave Fire to the humans. The unconquered sun was against it, you know. Fire breeds impatience. The first Avatar after all, was a Firebender."

"Really?" asked Azula. "How ironic, because it will be a Firebender who ends it's line once and for all."

The old woman laughed. "That is the passion he so likes about you."

She grew serious in an instant, as she spoke her next words. "I know why you are here, what you seek. I can give it to you, but the unconquered sun demands a price, that may be to high for you."

Azula shook her head. "For victory no price is to great. I am ready to pay."

The old woman smiled sadly.

"We will see. But first, a riddle if you would, Fire Lord."

Azuula raised an eyebrow. "A riddle? What do you mean?"

The old woman laughed again. "Imagine there is a great worm, with two heads, one one each end. Now you separate the worm in the middle. Do you now have two worms or is it still one worm, but separated?"

Azula twirled one of her bangs around her finger. "Neither", she answered after a minute. "There would be two times half a worm."

A dangerous glint had entered the old woman's eyes. "How right you are, Fire Lord, how very right. The first Avatar never understood that."

"What was the purpose of this question?", Azula asked.

The old lady just waved her through and wouldn't talk anymore.

Go on! The master awaits."

Without looking back Azula traversed the simple gate into the barren chapel, only an altar of simple stone lying discarded and broken in a corner, the hole in the floor it had once obscured now open.

Slowly she descended dark stairs, only her flame lighting her ways. The walls of the tunnel were burned into the stone through ancient magma. The deeper Azula went, the more the air seemed to smell of sulfur.

Her heart began to hammer in her breast and she felt her flame respond to something.

Azula did not know how long she descended but after a good while she felt the air growing warmer, until it seemed almost unbearably hot.

The stairs ended and the walls vanished. Azula stood inside a large cave, too big for her small flame to illuminate. She made a step and noticed that she stood on the edge of a lake, that seemed to be filled with warm water, not scalding hot but a very pleasurable temperature for a bath. Uneven, but beautiful, Crystals seemed to grow in big lumps in the middle of the lake.

She stood probably in one of the old magma-chambers of the volcano that remained empty when it exploded.

But it wasn't empty. Azula raised a hand and sent a flame towards the ceiling. It's light was reflected a thousand times by the crystals, which illuminated the cave for a few seconds. There was something very big here. Azula sent a second flame and the crystals seemed to glow with an eerie firelight and they were moving. These weren't crystals. They were scales.

The chamber illuminated in one bright flash, as flames shot into the air, dancing on the water in many colors. It was fire, but not a fire like Azula had seen before. It was a true joy to be around but at the same time a promise of destruction, life and death in one joyful celebration. And Azula understood, these were the first flames, once given to the unconquered sun's most treasured children, the great dragons of the sun, spirits of fire so great that no mortal's bending could match their fire. They illuminated a giant cave, big enough to hold several warships.

Or a dragon.

The serpentine body of was coiled around itself throughout the whole cave and would have been far longer than even two Empire-class warships if stretched out. Each of it's great folded wings would have the same length.

It's scales were red and harder than steel, reflecting the firelight and glowing like rubys. The ivory claws on it's gigantic limbs scraped over the floor beyond the lake as the dragon turned around and towered high above Azula.

Long, straight horns showed from it's luscious mane that framed it's face like a crown, like polished ivory. The long whiskers, used by dragons to feel even the slightest changes of temperature or vibrations in the air were vibrating as it's forked tongue slithered between dagger-like teeth to taste the air.

It looked at Azula sharply. It's eyes were fascinating, a very clean, golden colour and with stilted pupils there was a fire burning in them. It seemed as if the pupils were swimming on a sea of molten gold an ancient wisdom, so sad, enraged an beautiful at the same time.

A voice sounded, a voice like a thunderstorm in a thousand different tunes and melodies, like the whisper of the hearthfire and the raging of a wildfire.

Azula felt so very small as a great and powerful presence descended upon her and she felt her own flame responding, like to the loving caress of a mother, celebrating in joy and respect.

And in the fire a name was spoken that Azula understood, not with a voice but with flame, because true children of the sun did not need a voice to understand each other:

" **Vanya"**

And with that name a challenge was spoken as Azula offered her own name in this not-language. The body of the dragon shifted and revealed something below her. A white dome, as big as Azula, and she could hear the faint whisper of flame from it.

" **Sacrifice...wakes. Fire...earns"**

The great dragon roared, but Azula stood strong against the mighty sound, like a mountain collapsing, and roared back, both in her own voice and in her not-voice, challenging the dragon as much as Vanya challenged her.

Azula would prove herself worthy or die trying. There was no middle ground. She would sacrifice anything to achieve her goals.

* * *

Ty Lee wiped the blood from her brow, where the piece of metal had grazed her. Sloppy. She shouldn't have let her guard down. She raised Bumi's head above her own, the blood from the severed stump bathing her and snickered until it grew into full blown laughter.

"I didn't disappoint you, Azula. I proved myself. I will never leave your side now."

There was a flash of lightning.

Ty Lee had opened her mouth as if she was screaming but no sound came out of her mouth. She looked down at the massive hole were her rip cage once was. Ty Lee fell over unto Bumi's corpse, her blood mixing with his and staining the ground an even darker red.

She was still smiling.

And bloodshot eyes, that looked like they had cried a lot looked down on her corpse, seemingly oblivious to the battle going on around them, only a single word forming on dry lips, that were surrounded by a scraggly white beard: "Zuko."

* * *

Uppps I did it again. Next time the battle continues. I hope you understood the reference towards Raava and Vaatu


	9. Hope and Despair

" _And it was in the first year of Fire Lord Azula's reign, that her lover was slain in the battle of Omashu. As Azula heard of the news, she screamed and it is told that she mourned her lover for three days. And for three days the face of the great sun was blocked and the heavens cried with her. And on the fourth day she ordered a great pyre built and she burned every prisoner that was taken in Omashu on the pyre of her sadness. Men, women and children. Among them was the blind Ling and his mother. But as his mother burned, the flames did not harm the holy Ling at all..."_

 _-From "The book of the prophet Lin", by Priest Gatsu, who was later executed by the Gouverneur of Omashu, but sainted by the Earth Queen twenty years after._

* * *

 _The next chapter, in which Toph plots and Azula gets news_

* * *

Azula awoke with aching muscles and a pained cough. Her head, her hands and her feet ached as if she had just fought a dragon. She grinned.

She had fought a dragon.

It was pleasantly warm around her and with a bit of effort she managed to open her eyes. Around her the scalding hot underground lake bubbled and burned in the light of her own blue fire. The rocks had been smashed or outright molten in the battle, having cooled down to bizarre formations around the giant lake, that had fled it's boundaries and flooded the whole cave.

There was no sight of the great dragon, almost as if the great beast had been a dream. Instead there were the jagged remains of great bones, like pointing fingers out of the water, all that had remained of Vanya after her spirit had fled her body a thousand years ago. The skull of the long dead dragon could be seen lying deep in the middle of the crystal clear water, having sunken there after the mighty muscles decayed, a monument of strength, long since gone.

Azula's burnscars however felt quite real, the warmth of the boiling water soothing her pains. She closed her eyes and ignored the world around her, concentrating on her inner fire.

Something had changed. There was something more to the connection. Something old and dangerous but at the same time young and eager, that was embracing her own soul, adding a bright flame to the roaring fire that was Azula's own soul.

Azula couldn't help it, she threw her head back and laughed.

She was still laughing as the little flame climbed up on her bare form and nestled on her shoulder like a strange mixture of snake and bird,puffing smoke in her ear and licking he neck with it's tiny, forked tongue.

Azula touched the little dragon, almost reverently, curling her fingers in the short mane, still wet from the water that had washed away the fluids of the egg. Slowly she untangled the chirping and squawking hatchling from her hair and held it in her arms, getting a good look at it in the process.

The hatchling was almost as long as her torso, but very thin, it's body more like a snake than a lizard and covered in scales of deep crimson, lighter on it's belly and almost purple on the back, were a row of sharp spines grew. It's little mane was of a purple so dark it was almost black and had not yet grown into the mighty crown the adult dragons sported.

The whiskers were moving in elaborate patterns as the little dragon snuggled into Azula's bosom and she couldn't keep the smile from her face as the little flame opened his bright, golden eyes, so much like her own.

"I will not disappoint you, Vanya", she whispered. "My little flame and I will lead those of fire into a bright future. This I promise."

The little dragon squirmed in her arms and flapped it's tiny wings, not yet big enough to fly.

Slowly Azula stood up and took the way back, the little dragon wrapped around her neck.

The old crone at the monastery's entrance still sat where she left her, not looking or turning to Azula at all.

"You proved yourself worthy, daughter of dragons."

Azula bowed and the dragon squeaked. "At least I hope so, revered spirit."

"Oh, you figured it out? How very refreshing. Take good care of Vanya's little one. It was only her will that kept her alive long enough to birth his egg after she was wounded by Avatar Wushu."

"Why are you helping me so much, revered spirit?", Azula asked. Wouldn't the Avatar have a much tighter connection to your world?"

"It is because we play by the rules, daughter of dragons. Before everything there were four of us. The great spirit of the sun, the twins of moon and sea, the laughing spirit of the wind and the great mother earth. And we locked the two who are one, Raava-Vaatu in it's vicious cycle so that their raw and terrible energy would no longer affect humans and spirits. But Raava found a way to separate from her other half and kept the world in her balance since then. I tell you this, daughter of dragons, the bending of energy will be the worlds downfall once again."

"Who is Raava-Vaatu?", Azula asked. "That name does not seem familiar to me."

The spirit laughed. "It is no wonder. Most spirits even forgot it's name and only the oldest remember it. Only faceless Koh, the great four and Wan-Shi-Tong really remember the two who have been one. I will tell you this much: Raava and Vaatu think themselves two separate beings and they think themselves opposites. They are wrong on both accounts."

"But what are they?", Azula asked, but the crone did not answer.

Slowly Azula advanced and put a hand on her shoulder.

The woman was dead, the raw power of the greater spirit had destroyed her life force.

"I will have you declared a saint, kind nun", Azula muttered to the woman. "Only the most passionate of hearts may host a spirit of fire."

She touched the white hair of the dead woman and tuned her around, drinking in her sweet smile and the kind face. She scooped the old woman up in her arms and carried her into the chapel, where she laid her on the altar.

On the wall behind it, almost obscured by mold and dirt was a painting of a great dragon that Azula recognized as Vanya. "Don't you worry, nameless crone", Azula whispered, softly kissing the old woman on her cold forehead. "Your funeral pyre will be far grander than anything that has been seen in the last hundred years."

And with that she threw her head back and exhaled a torrent of bright blue flame, far more powerful than anything she had managed before. Her breath gave way to the flames of her soul and engulfed the whole ceiling of the building in fire.

With the dragon around her shoulders Azula left the burning chapel, not looking back as she made her way down the narrow path, still naked but without shame, because she was clothed in fire.

And the people who had gathered at the foot of the crater because of the fire at the chapel saw her descending the steps and the dragon, pressed against her body for warmth.

And as one they fell to their knees and prayed.

Through the crowd came High Sage Lao, pushing and shoving the people out of the way to get to her. Once he had reached Azula, he took of his white, priestly cloak and wrapped it around her naked body. "You have done the impossible, my Lord", he whispered with tears in his eyes. Then he backed away and sank onto his knees, joining the growing crowd in prayer.

"All hail Fire Lord Azula!", he shouted "From now on your title shall be Dragon, in name and in spirit, for you have proven that your soul is burning like no other. I cannot speak for the others", he said and gestured towards the crowd. "But I will follow you until the sun itself stops shining and faceless Koh comes for my soul, that I swear on my honor and my Flame."

Azula tilted her head and smiled, That was slightly of script, but very welcome nonetheless. "Rise my friend", she said. "For this is a very happy day. The dragons have returned!", she shouted, addressing the crowd. "This is a sign, people pf the Fire Nation. As sign that we are blessed. A sign that our cause is a righteous one. So tell it to your neighbors and your friends, carry the message into every little corner of the Fire Nation and beyond. Our allies shall rejoice and our enemies shall tremble, because the dragons have returned and those of fire are blessed again!"

The little hatchling spread his wings and blew a small flame into the air. And the crowd roared and answered with flames of their own.

* * *

"And as you open your heart, may the great spirit of the world fill you with his love, deliver us, oh Avatar, so that the world might be mended."

Toph almost growled and crushed a rock in her hands. The priest in the white robes was amassing a rather sizable crowd.

"This is the sixth one", she murmured. "They are popping up like weeds and nobody is doing anything."

"Why do anything at all?", asked Sokka next to her. "In hard times people turn to religion. That's normal. We hardly have to care if they chose to spend their days praying."

"We have to care, you imbecile, if they start worshiping Aang and the Lotus isn't doing anything to stop it."

Sokka shrugged. "We have bigger problems than a few fanatics. Aang is a nice guy, it won't go to his head. We should focus on freeing my sister, dammit. Instead you are just standing here, worrying over nothing!", he snarled.

"Nothing? We lost three thousand men and Bumi in Omashu and the city remains in the enemy's hands. The people are dying of something in the lower rings and our healer decided to waltz into the enemy capital and get herself captured." She threw her arms up. "Why am I the only person here who understands how deep in shit we are?"

"It's not like that", Sokka interjected. "We were always a step ahead, only us against the world. Now we're fielding armies and have to worry about supply lines and sickness. We are all overwhelmed."

Toph sighed. "Since when were you the voice of reason?"  
He laughed. "I know. Scary isn't it?" But real war has a way to make you grow up. Aang hasn't hit that stage yet."

"And he never will if the Lotus coddles him more and tells him he can do no wrong. I haven't seen him in six days. I don't even think he knows about the sickness or the cult in the lower rings."

Sokka shook his head. "I wish Katara was here. She would get through to him."

Toph nodded. "Our spy's know she's alright and even eats with the Fire Lord regularly but they can't get to her. That's Azula's way of telling us to not try it, she is subtle that way."

The priest had finished his sermon and the people were praying in silence. Toph made a disgusted sound.

"We need her here. We have to few healers in this dump and none are Masterbenders like she is. The northern tribe only brought a few healers with them and their warriors can't heal. The southern tribe has no Waterbenders and our mundane healers don't know what to make of this sickness."

Sokka nodded. "I have seen the symptoms myself. Big bumps full of pus. Disgusting. Not like the pentapox at all." He smiled and Toph laughed.

"To think that it was only a few months back. Feels like a lifetime ago. Only us on Appa against the world." She sighed. "I miss it. No politics or deaths. Only adventure."

"I think that is Aangs problem", Sokka said. "He doesn't get, that the adventure ended and the real world caught up with us. I can't believe it sometimes either."

Toph snorted. "He better start believing it soon. We won a few victories but Azula was dangerous enough without the whole Fire Nation at her beck and call. With her holding Omashu and the Lotus having their heads up their asses it is only a matter of time until Ba Sing Se is under siege again. "

"As much as I hate it, you are right", Sokka answered. "We don't have the manpower for a war of attrition, especially with the sickness spreading in the lower rings."

She nodded. "I don't like it, but we may have to separate them from the higher wings again. We can't afford it spreading to our soldiers or generals."

Sokka palmed his face. "That would be reinforcing the class system we tried to abolish. Fuck! Aang would never allow it."

"I don't really think we have a choice. We can't heal the disease without Waterbenders and the healers from the northern army are far too few. Quarantine is our best option."

"And then?", he asked. "We would need a safety police to ensure no one tries to circumvent the quarantine, we would need to control the angry mobs that would undoubtedly turn up and what do we do when there is no cure?"

Toph's empty eyes were turned to the skies as she spoke in a very quiet voice: "We let the infection burn itself out. And then put the parts of the city we can't save to the torch."  
Sokka gasped. "You would..."

"Yes Sokka, I would", growled Toph. "I would hate myself with the fury of a thousand suns but by the great mother I would do it. I would kill them all, the men, the women and the children and I would stand there and watch as Ba Sing Se goes up in flames. I would kill a thousand to save a million and don't you dare judge me for that."

"I won't", said Sokka, his voice meek.

Toph shook her head. "You're lying. And I can't even fault you for it."

"No, I really do", he said. "I know a leader has to make terrible decisions for the greater good, but there has to be another way."

"You say that, but I don't think you understand it. You sound like Aang with your talk about another way. But if the plague spreads it will be to late. First deaths have already occurred, despite the Waterbenders. If there is another way I would very much like to hear about it, because I don't see any!"

Toph hadn't realized, that she was shouting, until a voice came from somewhere in front of them. The priest had stepped down from his rock and approached them, a few people of the crowd in his wake.

"Faith, my child", he said. "Faith is the way. Believe that the Avatar will save you and he will."

Toph snorted and Sokka crossed his arms. "I know the Avatar personally and he isn't powerful enough of a Waterbender to save you from this disease. The most important thing would be to follow the instructions of the regulation bureau and report every case you can find to the proper authorities."

The priest smiled kindly and shook his head. "This disease is a trial by the great spirit of the world and we will overcome it with our faith. I hope you will see the truth soon, before it kills all of us."

With these words he stalked of.

"What did I say?", growled Toph. "This is going to be dangerous, mark my words."

Sokka shook his head. "I know why you worry but I still think we will get this under control. Your drastic measures won't be necessary. I didn't know you could be so ruthless."

"No?", Toph asked. "You do know that I grew up a noble, right? A sheltered one, but a noble of the Earth Kingdom nonetheless. Of course I disagree with the concept of nobility in itself, but in the end someone has to dirty their hands. If it has to be me, than so be it."

Sokka just sighed. "I should go back to the shelters and talk to the Waterbenders again. Maybe they have an idea."

Toph snorted. "Try all you want. But don't hope. It will gain you nothing."

"What will you do then?", he asked. "Despair?"

She didn't answer and he just shook his head and turned around, not looking back at her, now standing alone on the street.

"Li Fang", Toph spoke quietly and the green clothed special agent melted out of the shadows. "It is impossible to fool your senses, commander", he laughed quietly.

Toph snorted. "Spare me your flattery. Have you done what I asked?"

He nodded. "I have. The Dai Li has your letter and will deliver it. However I ask myself of this course of action is wise?"

"I will tell you when I know the answer to that myself", answered Toph. "Now lead me to the prisoner."

"What insight do you have to gain from a defeated man?"

"Maybe I want to look at what I could become, should I decide make an enemy of the white Lotus."

She stopped to think for a moment. "And maybe he can give us some insight into The Fire Lord's thought process."

The man bowed to her. "Your wish is my command, Commander. But be careful. Bending or not, Ozai is not a man that you should underestimate."

Toph just waved her hand at him dismissively. "So or so, that exchange of prisoners needs to happen. Aang will listen to Katara over the Lotus, even if he doesn't listen to us. If I have to go over his head, grit my teeth and negotiate with Fire Lord Azula I will do it."

The spy laughed. "I love your passion, commander, it's so Firebender. But don't speak anymore of it in public places. The Fire Lord will hear your request, that I can guarantee."

He ignited his index finger and lit a cigarette for himself, before waving and vanishing into the shadows again.

"Asshole", muttered Toph, before she stomped of in the direction of the palace, to do something that she would have never imagined herself doing a few months ago. "Never was one for authority", she snorted as she went on her way to her very treasonous mission.

* * *

 _Night fell and darkness grew over the royal palace of the Fire Nation, disrupted only by the light of the stars, appearing one after another and just one other source of light._

 _A flame flickered up and down again, until the young girl that was producing the flames stopped panting and fell down on the grass, wiping the sweat from her brow._

 _He watched her, as she growled and tried again and again, without the result that she wanted. Again and again she started the katas, only to fail and even stumble and fall in the end. Cursing she looked down at a bleeding wound on her arm and readied herself to try again, despite the pain._

 _He decided to speak: „You need to synchronize your breath with your movements", he said with a strict voice. "You can do the movement a hundred times but without breath and intention you will fail every time."_

 _She turned around, because she had been to invested in her tries to notice him standing behind her, her golden eyes widening in surprise._

 _He went up beside her. With an elegance that told of his long and hard training he began the same chain of movements she had tried before, a kick created a fan of fire and two fast jabs fireballs that flew up into the night sky with a loud hissing noise._

" _Breath and technique belong together, don't make the mistake to separate them. Breath in air and use it a s fuel for your inner flame. Breath and focus!"_

 _The last words he underlined with a movement of his hand and a fiery spiral that shot out into the sky._

 _He watched as the girl tried to follow his instructions but couldn't create more than a tiny flame. Frustrated she threw up her still bleeding arms. „It's impossible!", she complained and crossed her arms in front of her chest._

 _He stretched out his big hand, gigantic next to her small frame and laid it upon her shoulder. "There is no such ting as impossible for a Firebender. There are only people who don't try hard enough. It is your willpower that governs your power. There is no room for weakness in a Firebender's mind."_

 _His golden eyes looked at her sharply. „Do you want to tell me that you are weak?"_

 _The look in her own eyes was one of defiance and he grinned triumphant. "Breath and feel the fire inside of you, let it out through your movement. Rule it! command it! You are it's master!"_

 _Breathing deeply the girl moved again and this time it was accompanied by glowing orange flames. She laughed out of joy, wobbling because of exhaustion and he steadied her with an outstretched hand._

" _Careful", he said. "Sit with me!" He sat down between the tall grass blades and she took her place beside him, cursing softly as she moved her injured arm._

" _Pain is nothing", he reprimanded her.. "You just need to feel the warmth of your inner flame and let it fill you. Everything else does not matter next to your own power."_

 _The girl was relacxing visibly, even if her connection to her flame was crude and unformed. Still she leaned against him and smiled. He stroked her silky black hair._

 _It was a new moon and only the stars blinked at the clear sky, while a warm wind was rushing through the trees._

" _I'm sorry father", whispered Azula in a small voice._

" _No!", he ordered harshly. "You are a princess. Never be sorry. Accept mistakes and learn from them but a princess does not apologize!"_

 _With a softer voice he continued: „Especially today. You don't need to apologize."_

 _Ozai loosened the golden crown from her hair, that fell just below her shoulders and stroked the silky, soft hair. She cuddled up to his side._

" _Let me tell you a secret. I myself had far more trouble with learning Firebending than you do now." An honest smile had appeared on his face. "After father trained me harshly mother treated my burns with ointment in this very garden and told me stories."_

 _He pointed at the sky."She told me that the souls of dead Firebenders that the great dragons judged worthy would be reborn as heavenly dragons and fight the spirits of the moon during the night as stars."_

 _The girl at his said sounded sad as she answered: "Mother tells Zuzu stories too." She looked up to him. "Why doesn't she tell me stories?"_

„ _Because you are my daughter Azula", he sighed._

 _He stood up and pulled her to her feet. „Go to bed now, little dragon!", he ordered. „Tomorrow I want you to perfect that sequence."_

" _Of course, father." Her smile was the last thing he saw before everything faded to darkness._

Ozai awoke startled. A memory rather, which was surprising in itself. The last time he spoke with Azula that way, before his father's death and his wife's betrayal. What had he done after that? When did he stop seeing her as his daughter? When did she become a tool, worse a repplacement for his beloved wife, that never loved him?

Ozai had a lot of time to think in his dark cell. He hadn't had a pleasant dream for a long time now, the cold in his body normally cutting his hours of sleep even shorter, even without the tattooed face of the avatar in his dreams.

He wasn't really abused in prison, they wouldn't dare to physically hurt him and a few insults he could tolerate. If one had experienced the excruciating pain of having their very soul violated by the searing energy of the avatar, then nothing could hurt anymore.

He was a cold and bitter man and his hatred, once the source of his strength didn't keep him warm anymore. They didn't speak to him anymore, as he showed no reaction to their taunts. He was just an empty shell of the man, that had once been Ozai, clad in rags and chained to a wall.

He raised his head as the door shifted. A muttered curse came and then the locks just bent out of the way.

It was a girl in green, the little Earthbender from the avatar's retinue, he did not know her name.

"Fire Lord Ozai", she said with a neutral tone in her voice.

"I am no longer the Fire Lord", he croaked, his voice raspy from disuse.

"And since you are here and I am not dead yet I would believe my worthless son isn't either."

She spat on the ground."Zuko is dead."

Ozai closed his eyes. "A shame", he whispered. "He could have been great, if he hadn't been consumed by his own self-hatred. How did he die?"

"You sound surprisingly reasonable", she said instead. "Shouldn't you been swearing eternal revenge on us?"

"I raged, of course I raged, but it feels muted, as do all my emotions. Your avatar destroyed something inside of me as he took my flame and now I can't even muster the passion to hate him."

He looked at her and even though Toph couldn't see his eyes, she knew that their vibrant golden colour had been replaced by a dull yellow.

"The world has lost it's colour for me", he continued. "You, a cripple, are so much richer than me, the heir of Sozin, in this moment."

"Self-pity doesn't suit you", she said in a stern voice.

He smiled sadly. "But it is all that I have left. "How did my son die?"

She paused, but spoke after a few seconds. "In an Agni Kai. He foolishly challenged his sister for the throne."

He nodded. "An Idiot until the end but at least he died with honor. Unlike me."

"Self pity again, Ozai? Please stop. It is just embarrassing to hear."

He snorted. "You speak your mind, don't you, girl? It is quite refreshing. What about Azula?", he changed the topic.

"A bigger nuisance than ever, now that she is Fire Lord. She left your shadow and is creating her own legacy", Toph said, knowing that was what he meant.

"I see", he muttered. "When you have fulfilled your purpose here, would you fulfill my request?", he asked then. "I will cooperate, whatever you may want."

Toph shook her head. "I can guess what you want, but your life is not mine to take."

"I see", he whispered. "I wonder whom my life may belong to. It is not mine and the Avatar gave away his right to it."

"What about the Fire Lord?". Toph asked.

"But I am here", said Ozai. "And my daughter has no love left for me, of that I can assure you."

Toph shrugged. "Maybe, but I have fought Azula on a few occasions. While she is brilliant, she is also petty. I don't think she would pass up a chance to kill you herself."

The former Fire Lord closed his eyes. "Maybe", he said. "You want to use me in an exchange of prisoners. For someone important to you, but without the Avatar's or the white Lotus' knowledge. Don't look so surprised. Your Avatar's violation has dulled my emotions, not my mind. Tell me, how many benders are unruly under his command?"

"A lot", admitted Toph. "One of the reasons I need to talk to Azula and you are my ticket to her."

Ozai grinned. "Your mind is wasted with the Avatar. Very well. I will face my daughter and my death with my head raised, this I swear on the flame I once possessed and the soul that was taken from me."

Toph nodded. "Thank you. That makes things easier. I will arrange for your transport."

She turned around, but hesitated at the door.

"One last question", she said going back and pulling something from her pocket. "Do you know what this is?"

Ozai looked at the little piece of wood she held up. It was a Pai-Sho piece, well carved from ebony. The black Lotus. He couldn't help it, he laughed out loud.

"It's an invitation", he laughed. "A sign of those who in ancient times fought against the Avatar's tyranny. However the order does not exist anymore since before Avatar Kuruk's time. Now it is nothing more than a statement of intent."

He chuckled. "I had one myself, before it got destroyed in the battle with the Avatar. This thing means that you have an ally in the city, an ally who approves of you working against the Avatar."

He was still laughing when Toph left without another word.

* * *

Azula sat on her unlit throne, her head on her hand and lost in thought. She was idly watching the young dragon tear into a dead Komodo-Rhino, getting blood and scorch marks all over her marble floor. She had no idea what she wanted to name the little Hatchling, but she couldn't help a proud smile as she watched him eat. This would change everything.

A full moon was coming soon. The Waterbender would try to flee and would take Ming with her, bringing the girl in a position close enough to the Avatar that she could kill him. Without their symbol of hope the last resistance should be overwhelmed.

Azula expected word from Ty lee any day now, but Omashu had been defended as she had heard. Only the report of her commanders were not punctual, which was unusual. She trusted Toshiro and Ty lee, which made her a bit worried.

What to do with Ba Sing Se though?

Azula was interrupted in her musings as the doors opened. The dragon snarled at the intruder, but as Azula spotted Li's chalk white face, she shut him up with a glare.

"What is it, Li?", she asked. "What is wrong?"

The normally collected woman was pale and seemed to shake with fear.

My Lord", she began without the appropriate kotau. "We have news from the seventh Legion. We won, but..."

She inhaled deeply and Azula felt icy fear settle in her stomach. "The Lady Ty Lee. She is dead."

A scream tore itself from Azula's mouth, a loud , terrible scream of despair and anguish and hatred, powerful and heartbreaking. The guard came storming in, together with a few select nobles and the High sage, everyone who had been in reach of the noise of a broken heart.

Silence followed the declaration and the scream. A silence so terrible, that the little Hatching stopped his meal and crawled over to Azula and put his head on her lap. Azula's face was stone cold, without a single expression on it.

After the silence had stretched on for too long Li carefully spoke: "My Lord?", she asked carefully.

Azula just raised a hand in in her eyes there was a terrible, empty look. How", she whispered, her voice so small and weak like never before.

"She was slain by a lightning bolt", your Grace", Li whispered. "That means..."

"I know what that means, Li", interrupted Azula. "There are two Lightningbenders left in the world and one of them is me." She closed her eyes and the dragon whimpered and crawled closer to her.

When she opened them again there was a terrible fire in them, one Li had not seen since the day Ozai declared himself Phoenix King. When she spoke it was with a soft, but harsh voice, one that promised untold hatred and terrible Fire upon her enemy.

"I have been both feared and hated. And I have been loved. Those who would take my love away from me shall learn why they should have feared me more. I will show them what hatred is. I will l let them drown in the oceans of my fury."

She stood up and her throne lit up behind her. Li, the High sage, the servants and the guards fell to their knees no one daring to look up in her face, only her little dragon climbing up behind her and growling. She took up Kinslayer, her beloved sword and grabbed her silky hair with the left hand, slicing the beautiful black strands off with a single slice until only a cropped, short bob remained. So was the tradition among noble women whose lover died and it showed the deep devotion Azula had held for Ty Lee.

"There is no peace anymore in my heart. Only vengeance."

She breathed deeply. "And these are the words of my vengeance: I declare the man who was once known a s Iroh Anathema. His name shall not be spoken by a living person and crossed from the scroll of dragons. Everyone who shelters or helps him in any way forfeits his life.

Here are my words of death: The life of every man and every woman who fought in the battle of Omashu on her murderers side shall be burned on her pyre, as a sacrifice to guide her soul to the heavens."

Tears had started to leak from her eyes but she continued.

"And here are my words of love: Goodbye Ty Lee. You were the only person who ever touched my cold heart. Half of my soul goes with you, to guide you towards the heavens, where your soul shall burn with the stars of our ancestors."

She waved towards the gathered. "Leave me!", she ordered. "I will mourn the loss of my love."

The people left the room in silence and deep respect and only after the great doors closed behind them, Azula allowed herself to cry. Silent sobs shook her whole body and she left out an ear piercing wail of suffering, that ebbed away into more sobs.

* * *

I don't have much time to write at the moment, so this chapter took a while. Next time there will be Azula's reaction to Ty Lee's death and a bit of Katara.


	10. Devious Plans

_Well, here we are again. Sorry it has been such a long time, I am busy and lazy, which is honestly kind of a bad combination. Still here is the next chapter. Dunno when you will get the next. Enjoy!_

* * *

 _Fire Nation Fun Fact:  
Dragons do not die by natural causes, instead they leave their body behind and live fully in the spiritual world. In rare cases some Firebenders managed the same feat, but the corner that is reserved for dead souls remains inaccessible for the living. It is said that part of the spiritual world can be seen in the Night-Sky, were the most honorable of dead dragons are given a place among the stars, to keep the moon and it's demon of the great deep sea in check. Even tough most people think this superstition, they can't deny that Firebenders feel a certain kinship towards the stars, as if they were distant cousins, burning with a similar flame._

* * *

 _The ninth chapter, in which Ty Lee is buried, Azula gets a letter and Mai plans her redemption._

* * *

Ming hurried through the dark corridors, only the little flame in her hand lighting her way. The dungeon was devoid of life at this time of the night. She had poisoned the wardens meal the day before. He should be sleeping tightly right now.

It was a real risk to go through the plan now, but the Fire Lord would thank her in the end. She Wasn't really in her right mind and in that state very dangerous to those she considered her enemies. To ensure, that she wouldn't do something she regretted later, Ming took it upon herself to execute the plan.

Slowly she opened the iron door to the last cell on the lowest level with the key she took from the guard. The air was dry down here and no moss grew on the walls. It was designed with the purpose to keep Waterbenders in check and had only been broken out of after Hama the cruel discovered Bloodbending.

Katara sat on one end of the cell, blinking heavily as the light hurt her eyes and she looked up confused unto Ming's face.

"What the hell?", she muttered sleepily, slowly standing up as far as her heavy chains allowed it.

"No time to explain", hissed Ming. "We need to go, now!"

"Ming, what?". Ming let tears dwell up in her eyes and she closed the distance between them enveloping Katara in a fierce hug. "Please, you must flee!", she hissed again. "I can't let you die."

Katara looked confused and awkwardly hugged back. "But you said that Azula wouldn't kill me", she said. "It wouldn't make sense for her to kill me now."

"I fear the Fire Lord isn't in her right mind", whispered Ming. "Oh Katara", she buried her face in the Waterbender's shoulder. "They killed the Lady Ty Lee. The Fire Lord is in despair and not in her right mind. She will kill you, out of misguided revenge if nothing else."

Katara's eyes widened. "She is dead? That is... I never wanted..."

She stopped and looked up. "I can help, if it's healing and peace of mind Azula needs."

"You are truly a good person", whispered Ming. "You even offer to help your enemy in her darkest hour?"

"I can't just not help:"

Ming shook her head. "But it is not peace the Fire Lord wants. It is vengeance and I fear it will be bloody. Flee Katara, save your life before my league decides to steal what is most precious to the Avatar in return."

Katara stood up. "I trust your judgment. Still it hurts me if someone is in pain and I can't help. I will help. Lead me to the Fire Lord, so that I may plead for the innocent people she would hurt in her rage."

Ming's face fell and she to her knees. "Please Katara, I don't want to lose you. You cannot stand against the Fire Lord, not in this state."

"I faced her before and I will not fight this time. I cannot however, flee and let her anger turn towards my people, which it would do, if I fled on the day of her despair. Believe me, I know humans and as much as she wants to deny it, she remains all to human."

Ming shook her head. "You are just... Fine I will take you to her. But remember that we will both lose our heads should she decide that your argument isn't worth hearing. But it will have to wait. The Lady's funeral is now, that's why I wanted you to sneak out now, that she's distracted."

Katara shook her head. "I will wait. If I have to die for the southern Water Tribe I shall do so gladly and if I can appeal to the Fire Lord's black heart maybe I can save more people."

Ming gave her a strange look. "The Fire Lord's heart was just broken into pieces. You really shouldn't hope to much for her mercy."

Katara smiled. "And still, I will hope. For nobody deserves a heart without love."

* * *

Again Azula stood in front of the Altar of the dragons, on the plaza of Iroh's temple. Again a crowd had gathered, held back by lines and lines of imperial Firebenders and soldiers of the seventh Legion, in orderly formation and in ceremonial armor.

Behind Azula the High Priest, dressed in his golden formal robes and holding the staff of his position for the first time in official function. Even if it was a terrible moment.

The altar had been turned into a funeral pyre, big stacks of wood had been built around it, with a grand and decorated red cloth lain above it. Around the altar stood Ty Lee's sisters and her mother, with unlit torches in hand. Some of them were openly crying and some of them had steeled their faces into a grimace of pain and anguish.

They were dressed in white, the colour of mourning, as was Azula herself, who wore a simple white robe, without any decorations or embroidery. Her hair was now short, ending just below her ears and her face was a cold mask, without any emotion on it. She wasn't wearing her crown, what remained of her hair remained open and was shining in the firelight. Her little dragon was curled around her ankles, making soft cooing noises at Azula, which she ignored as she stepped forward towards the pyre.

On the cloth were weapons, broken weapons, spears, shields, swords and bows stapled around the cloth, so that a spot remained free in the middle. These were the weapons of Ty Lee's defeated enemies, stapled upon her funeral pyre to honor her. The belief was, that the broken spirits of the fallen warriors, who had been executed by Azula in her rage after Ty Lee's death would guard her soul on it's way to the great dragons, as a procession of honor.

The temple doors opened and Ty lees father stepped out, holding his daughters body, wrapped up in white silk in his arms. Slowly he stepped up to the pyre and gently laid her down in the spot in the middle. Then he joined his wife and daughters in the circle around the pyre.

Azula stepped forward and slowly unwrapped the silk, freeing Ty Lee's pale face. Her eyes were closed, her skin without blemish and only her deadly paleness told of her death. Ty Lee's mother choked back a sob.

"We are born from flame!", Azula spoke solemnly and her voice carried over the plaza, reaching the people, the soldiers and their hearts, because her voice sounded defeated, sad and on the verge of breaking.

Still she spoke further: "And to flame we return in the end."

A small blue flame sparked from her finger. "We are the children of dragons."

Slowly she lit each of the torches that were carried by the family with her blue fire. In some eyes she saw nothing but sadness, in others hatred and the eyes of Ty Lee's mother seemed to stare into her soul, both knowing what the other went through.

"You were my flame, Ty Lee and without you the world got much colder and darker."

The family stepped forward as one and lit the pyre, the oils soaked cloth and wood burning fast and high in the terrible heath of Azula's divine flame. While they all shied back from the intense heath Azula remained directly next to her dead lover, caressing her face even through the flames. The dragon climbed up her shoulder and reared it's head back, breathing a flame of many colours into the sky and on the pyre, that lit up even brighter in all the colours of the rainbow, carrying the soul of Ty Lee into the heavens.

"You once told me that even I would know love. I scoffed at you and only know do I realize that I truly loved you Ty Lee. Goodbye, my heart, my soul and my flame. Half of all that is me goes with you."

As one the soldiers and Firebenders took a knee and raised their blades or fists to the heavens, as the smoke rose slowly over the dawning city and Azula knew, though her heart and soul hurt like never before, that she had an empire to run and a war to win. Just this little moment of sadness was hers and hers alone. She stroked the head of her little dragon.

"I considered naming you after hatred", she said slowly. "I considered naming you after vengeance. But I think I would name you after Love, my little dragon. Your name shall be "Ai"and you will represent love as she once did."

The beast cooed at her and puffed out a bit of smoke. And they both watched the pyre burn to the ground and take all that remained of Ty Lee with it, until nothing but embers remained and her ashes were buried in Azula's own niche, deep down in the dragonbone-catacombs.

And next to her urn, there would be flowers mad of pink glass and fresh flowers, placed by Azula every time she could. Long after Azula's reign there would be stories told about the love between the Fire Lord and the assassin Ty lee.

Exaggerated stories for sure but as is known, the Fire Nation loves it's tragedies and the love of Azula and Ty Lee was a tragedy indeed. And nothing is known if the lovers were reunited in the great beyond for only the great dragons know the secrets of death and they do not share them with the living.

* * *

Katara and Ming had been silently observing the ceremony from within the crowd, with tears in their eyes. "The dragon", whispered Katara, "How did she..."

"Some say it is a blessing", answered Ming. "A sign that she is right. Others think that it was the price for Ty Lee's sacrifice, that to gain one must give another thing up. But there is no doubt, that she is now blessed."

"When the spirits have blessed her, maybe there is no need for the war any longer."

Ming shook her head. "She despises your Avatar. Now more than ever, she can't have peace with him."

"Maybe if the Avatar agrees to keep out of all political matters and only concerns himself with spiritual matters.. We could form a treaty..." Katara trailed of as a shadow fell over both of them. They were sitting at the edge of the dispersing crowd, hiding in the shadows of one of the still burned down buildings, around the plaza, that hadn't been repaired after the Agni Kai.

They were well hidden from the searching eyes of the crowd, especially when everyone was concentrated on the funeral. They were however not hidden from the excellent senses of the dragon, who was now standing before them, mustering Katara intensely, with a confused expression, as of he couldn't figure out what was wrong with her.

The little dragon was impressive from up close, he had almost doubled in size since Azula stepped down from the temple and it's forked tongue was flickering hectic, as he began sniffing Katara, who dared not to move.

"He is a spirit and can feel the Water and the Moon in your soul. He has never seen a Waterbender before and doesn't really know what to make of you", Azula's voice was cold and hard, even if her tone was almost pleasant. Her golden eyes settled on Ming, who stammered something incomprehensible. She was well aware that she didn't follow the plan, but Ming, who was a mediocre Bender at best wouldn't be able to force Katara to do anything.

If Azula was surprised she didn't show it, instead she seemed to forge a new plan from nothing. "I distinctly recall giving you orders to kill her, not to bring her before me", she said to Ming. "Or is there something going on here that I am not aware of?"

Even though Ming knew this to be an act she couldn't help but fidget under her Fire Lord's burning gaze. She kneeled before her Lord. "Your grace, I..."

"Silence", said Azula very quietly with her hand raised. "Your punishment will be decided later."

She turned her gaze unto Katara, who stood tall and proud, her head held high..

"You will have to go through me to get her."

"Interesting", Azula muttered. "How could you have inspired such loyalty from such a powerful Waterbender, Ming?"

"Because she is a decent human being", spit Katara. "Maybe you should try it sometimes."

The dragon hissed at her, snarling angrily at the insult to it's master, but Azula calmed him with a pat on the head. Then her eyes widened as Ming let out a terrified whining noise and she bowed her head a little.

"I'm sorry Azula, but I came her to negotiate for the lifes of my people. Please don't go down the path of revenge, as I tried to. You will not feel better in the end.."

"First you insult me and now you beg?" With a fast step she was right in Katara's face, her golden eyes blazing and locking with Katara's own blue ones.

"I could take the Avatar's lover as his slaves took mine from me." She raised her hand and gently touched Katara's face. "It would be so easy to make him feel the same despair. I would find your little village at the South pole, skin every living thing I find and have them made into a big tapestry depicting my vengeance. I could have your arms torn off and your body and spirit raped over and over again, like the Avatar did to my father. I could simply strike you down where you stand and send the Avatar your head as a lovely little message."

She backed up.

"But no. I won't kill you here. Not at Ty Lee's funeral." She sighed. "Just begone. Tell your Avatar that I would agree to Negotiations over a ceasefire to mourn the dead on neutral ground."

Her gaze flicked over to Ming. "You go with her! If the Earth King and the Northern tribe agree to Negotiations you can help with the preparations on their site and fulfill your functions as my, diplomat."

The way she worded that last phrase sent shivers down Ming's spine. Azula and she had thoroughly discussed what she meant with diplomat and it was a very dangerous game to pass her off as an agent of the Fire Lord instead of an refugee. But Katara had blown the initial plan with her stupid plan of pleading to Azula. Ming knew, if she hadn't been looking at the bigger picture, than Katara would have been dead right now. There was no mercy left in Azula's heart and only the possibility of getting to the Avatar had stopped her.

Ming's own role had become much more dangerous because of this slip of control.

"Azula", Katara said. "I know you're alone now, but if we truly can make peace..."

Azula waved her hand to interrupt her. "Just go! I don't want to hear your preaching. Deliver the message to your Avatar."

She turned around, the still hissing dragon leading the way, but hesitated for just a moment to lock eyes with Ming. "Don't fail me again", she said coldly, before leaving.

Ming just stood there for a second, before falling to her knees and breaking out in tears, Katara's comforting hand on her shoulders.

* * *

Mai didn't like children. They were loud, cheerful and dirty, always demanding attention or gifts and not dignified and intelligent enough to understand how much everyone hated them. They were terrible little sociopaths, only interested in themselves and lacking anything comparable to manners or tact. They were also annoyingly perceptive.

And so it was no wonder that the little Bastard that Ursa had produced out of wedlock was constantly pestering Mai while she was recovering. Finding Ursa had been a stroke of luck and Mai was constantly plotting how to get her back to the Fire Nation. Delivering Azula someone she hated as much as she did her mother, would surely put Mai back into the Fire Lord's good graces.

Mai's constant plotting however hadn't gone unnoticed and when the little Bastard. Kiyi wasn't annoying her with questions she had to dodge the suspicious looks from Ursa's new husband Noren.

Somehow he seemed suspicious, as if he knew something. Well if she had a wife with Amnesia she would have tried to find something about her past to. Did he know who she was? Did he keep it from her? Or maybe he was the reason she forgot everything.

Mai didn't trust him.

With a grunt she threw three knifes, each hitting the apples she used as targets perfectly.

"Your'e skilled", came a deep voice from behind her. "I know that technique, but haven't seen it since..."

"Noren", she said slowly. "Is "Noriko" not around?" She spoke his Wife's name deliberate as if she was doubting it and there was the shadow of a flinch on his face. "No", he said with a dark look. "She is cooking with Kiyi."

"Is that so", said Mai, slowly walking a circle around him, while he kept the pace. "You said that you recognized my style. I would be interested in knowing, where you have seen it before?"

"Let us stop pretending", he said. "I know a Fire Nation assassin when I see one. Your elegance is unmatched. I knew from the moment you were strong enough to walk again. Why are you here?"

Mai smiled slightly. "Do you really think you are in a position to make demands?", she asked.

Slowly he drew a broadsword, like it was used commonly in the Earth Kingdom.

"You are a noble", he almost sppat. "Your mask, that arrogance. No wonder I felt there was something wrong with you."

"And you are definitely not", said Mai. "You lack the elegance, the grace. And you are also stupid enough to be alone with someone you suspect to be an assassin of the Fire Lord."

She halted, turning her emotionless face towards him.

"Why would you think an imperial assassin would be interested in a simple farmer's wife? Why do you think "Noriko" is important? And your daughter?"

This reminder of his daughter had him steaming.

Mai spoke more.. "Did you perhaps, know who she was before her amnesia? Did you find her after all was done and took her, a chance for you to have someone dependent on you? Did you find joy in her body, that she willingly offered to you, knowing it would normally be so far out of your reach it wouldn't even be funny? Did you like fucking her, knowing who she really belonged too?"

"She never belonged to Ozai", he screamed. "And watch what you say about my wife."

"So you do know who she was", Mai said. "Thank you for confirming it. The question is who you are. You look Earth Kingdom but you speak as if you knew her as Fire Lady Ursa."

He seemed to calm himself. "I did know her before", he said. "I watched her be touched by that disgusting prince, knowing there was nothing I could do. So I became someone else and the spirits gave me a new identity and through a miracle I found her again." He raised his blade. "You won't take that away from me."

Mai giggled without humor. "Fool. Dealing with spirits is never without consequences. However you can lower your sword. I am not here to kill the Lady Ursa, despite her crimes."

"What crimes?", he barked. "She has nothing to apologize for escaping from you disgusting nobles."

"No?", said Mai. "Killing Fire Lord Azulon and leaving her children alone with Ozai qualifies in my eyes. Or are you happy about that? Like a Lionhawk, you kill the puppies of the old male to replace them with your own, when you take over a pride? Does Kiyi know that she is a princess? Or have you hid everything from them in your selfish delusions?"

With a scream he swung his sword at her, but before Mai could answer a soft voice went through the forest. "Daddy?"

He halted and Mai smiled in victory, when she saw Kiyi standing behind him, eyes wide and softly crying. It seemed she had heard the whole thing. In Kiyi's tiny hands there were flames burning bright through the cool evening air.

"It seems even tough she lacks the Dragon's blood, she cannot deny her heritage you have stolen from her. Fire Lord Azula will be interested."

"Azula", he said. "What about Ozai?"

"You really life on the edge of the world here. Ozai's been dethroned. His daughter took the throne and she will be very interested in her mother's whereabouts. I can tell her alone and she sends a legion to this spirits forsaken dump or you come all with me and we do this without much ceremony."

"What is going on?", asked Kiyi confused. "Why are you fighting?"

"It seems", said Noren slowly. "That we have a lead to your mother's history."

Mai raised an eyebrow. So that was how he wanted to play it? Lying to both of them until the last moment. Pathetic, but who was she to judge?

Kiyi, with her innocent childish mind smiled, not quiet grasping the tension in the air. "But that is great, was it you, lady Mai? Do you know who my mother was?"

She curtsied clumsily, something that was rather endearing, at least Ty Lee would have squealed over it. It was however wasted on Mai, who didn't change her stone cold expression.  
"I have a hunch", Mai said quietly. "I will take you to someone who can confirm everything."

"Who?", she asked.

"My most dear friend", Mai whispered and a wistful smile appeared on her lips. "Let's go tell your mother. My friend will be overjoyed to see her still alive." Kiyi and Noren both missed the dark smile that appeared on her face after both of them had turned around.

Azula remained in the ruins of the plaza's building, slowly stroking her dragon.

Then she spoke: "You are fortunate that your letter arrived when it did.. Had it arrived later, I would have killed her. I have spared Katara out of respect for your mistress, you may tell her that I am open to negotiations, too, shinobi. And that I look forward to her gift and have sent one of my own."

The ghost materialized behind her, on her knees. "It was truly an honor to meet with you, Fire Lord. The Lady Toph does speak highly of your skills in battle. In would really like to test them myself."

Azula snorted. "You would lose, assassin. You would have lost before and now, with Ai at my side I am a far better Firebender than ever before."

"Forgive me, my Lord. It was just a thought", he said with his head bowed.

Azula waved his concerns away. "It is forgotten. I do respect your mistress's skills however. She is the most powerful Earthbender I have ever seen. I'm looking forward to get to know her better."

A dangerous smile appeared on Azula's lips. "I wonder if her little trick can be replicated with Firebending", she mused, but shook her head soon.

"It doesn't matter. Tell Toph, that I look forward to seeing her at the Negotiations. Her informations and her gift will go a long way towards peace. And if she is persecuted by the Lotus for walking the way she does..."

Azula grinned.

"...Tell her that there is always a place at my court for a powerful bender and loyal soul."

The shinobi stood up. "It will be done, Fire Lord."

Azula waited until he was truly gone and then she slumped down on the wall of the ruined building. A soft wind came up and caressed her cheeks, while her tears fell like little crystals on her face. A leaf from one of the trees on the plaza landed in her hair and she took it out and stared at it, thinking of Ty Lee, dancing under the leaves and her sweet smile.

"Peace huh?", she said and crushed the leaf in her hand. "Ridiculous."

* * *

 _That was kind of short wasn't it? Meh, but I felt like prolonging it would destroy the little bit of pacing I still manage to keep in this story. Next time we will have a reunion between old friends._


	11. The heirs of Roku

_Fire Nation Fun Fact:_

 _The dragonblooded are the highest of nobility in the Fire Nation. They are the families, who can trace their line back to great dragon tamers of old. The longer the generations were bonded to the dragon, the stronger did the dragonblood in their descendants grow. The strongest dragonblood flows in the line of Azulus, where every single member had been bonded to a dragon, but there are a few other families, who can claim dragonblood, if not as strong and pure as that of Azulus' line. Those of dragonblood are often power hungry and greedy, but also just and wise. Their eyes are golden and burn with th4e flame of their hearts and they are generally known as the strongest Firebenders. The bond to a dragon strengthens the flame of a bender by a wide margin and it shows in their descendants, even if they have no dragons of their own._

* * *

Well that took some time. I lost three chapters to data corruption an kind of lost motivation. Still have the next chappter. I am quite busy at the moment, so the next one may take some tiome, though hopefully not as much as this one.

The nextchapter, in which Azula sits in judgement again and gains an heir, while Katara arrives in Ba Sing Se

* * *

Mai was used to bad glares and evil looks. She had received them from her parents, when she spoke up as a child, she had received them from her classmates, out of jealously and for her emotionless nature and she had received them at court because of her relation to the princess. Mai was used to ignoring them and what they meant, because she didn't care.

But the look the guard gave her as he approached her sent a shiver through her bones, not because of his anger, but because of what he represented. She had lost favor with the throne, a traitor nothing more.

She lost Azula and that hurt her. The opinions of the guard didn't matter, but to think that she, who once walked into the private rooms of the princess without even being stopped would be regarded a traitor.

"She will see you", the guard said. "Even tough I couldn't even imagine why." He glanced back at Ursa and her family, who were rather dumbfounded by the palace, while Noren looked resigned to his fate.

"Your guests can wait here until she kills you." He grinned evilly, but Mai's face didn't change for a second. She was sued to that, that wasn't what hurt. Slowly she stood up.

"Wait here for me", she said, stilling all the questions before Ursa or Kiyi could ask them.

And with that she entered the throne room, opening the big doors herself and gazing up upon the throne, whose fire had been a source of comfort her whole life, but now it only inspired dread in her.

She didn't think anymore, she just stepped onto the wide marble floor and procrastinated herself before her liege and once friend, pressing her forehead onto the floor, tears prickling at the edge of her vision.

A voice came towards her through the whisper of the flames, a cold voice, like a knife it tore through Mai's heart as Azula spoke: "I once said to a dead woman, that I admired her bravery." Azula paused and a hint of anger sneaked into her tone. "Now I think that the dead woman was just stupid, because she dares to step into my presence once again."

Azula had changed since Mai had last seen her. Gone was the insecure girl she had traveled so far with, gone the confident young woman that had spared her life.

Instead she kneeled before a ruler. Azula seemed tired, sad even but not broken, stronger not in spite of, but because of the tragedies of her young life.

The big scar above her right eye was new, a reminder of Zuko's last fight. It made her look like him, quite ironically. So did her hair, even shorter than Mai's and the cut had been done with the sword at her side. Ty Lee, sweet Ty Lee was dead and Azula looked even more intimidating for it, her eyes as cold and merciless as the blue flame, that lit her throne.

"I could not betray you again", said Mai. "And considering who I found during my banishment, not hurrying back to you would have been a grave betrayal indeed. Strike me down if you must, but hear me out first Azula, I beg you!"

Azula almost growled, as did the dragon that rose up behind her. Mai had never thought it possible but Azula had reawakened the old beasts and with it her right to rule. Mai was truly humbled.

"With what right would you dare to speak to me again? You, who threw my friendship back into my face?"

"I found your sister, Azula, and your Mother."

Azula was silent, her eyes closed only her hands curled to fists in the mane of her dragon, who was softly growling, maybe to threaten Mai or maybe to reassure Azula.

"What did you just say?"

Mai righted herself, still on her knees but her back straight, her tears running silently but her face stoic.

"Your mother Azula, I found her in the Earth Kingdom. She lost her memory it seems and some worm took advantage of that to fuck a noble. She has a daughter, who is a Firebender."

"Enough". She was silenced by Azula.

"You mean to tell me, that she is here in this palace, with the Bastard spawn of some fool and doesn't even remember what she did?"

"Yes, my Lord", said Mai slowly. "I thought you ought to know, even if it sealed my own fate."

"You did right by me, Mai, even if this does not absolve you of your sins. Still what would you think, I should do? Is a woman without memory still responsible for her sins? And the Bastard...", she trailed of.

"Do you want to meet them?", asked Mai. "It may offer perspective."

"Yes", said Azula. "Let's see if I can overcome my hatred of the woman for long enough to make rational decision. And I would like to judge the Bastard for myself."

Mai stood up and bowed.

"Don't think I forgot about you", said Azula. "Your judgment is postponed."

Mai nodded. "And I will accept it."

She left the throne room and strode over towards the small family, Noren, who looked worried, Ursa, who seemed to have a headache and Kiyi, who was questioning the guards about the palace and the Fire Nation, with ab big smile on her face. The guards seemed amused by this and were telling the little girl about the palace and the Fire Lord.

"The Fire Lord will see you", Mai announced to the family. Ursa looked deep in thought, while a look of dread seemed to flash over Noren's face. It seemed he still didn't want to tell his wife the truth. Cowardly worm. Kiyi however flashed an excited grin and almost danced behind Mai.

"We get to meet the Fire Lord? You never told me you were so important, big sister Mai? Is it true, that she is only fifteen? Can we see her dragon?"

Mai held off the barrage of questions and just shook her head.

"I don't have the time to tell you the proper rules, but here are the basics: Don't speak unless spoken too, and kneel between the fourth and the fifth pillar when you enter. You do not turn your back on the Fire Lord and if she addresses you, answer truthfully."

Little Kiyi adopted a serious face that seemed disgustingly cute, while Ikem looked more and more nervous.

Mai didn't leave them time to think as she stepped into the throne room again, the family of three slowly trailing behind her.

Azula had righted herself behind her curtain of blue flame, the dark violet drake resting behind her, adding to her image of power and control. The family kneeled at the spot Mai showed them with subtle gestures. Ursa looked like she was nursing a headache and Noren like he was about to piss himself, while Kiyi seemed to be bouncing with excitement.

As Azula spoke, her voice sounded calm but powerful, the voice of a true ruler. Only Mai, who had known her for a long time could hear the strain in it. It took a lot of Azula's considerate self control to stay calm right now.

"I have been waiting a long time to find you again", she said, her face still hidden behind the curtain of flame. Ursa looked up, her face confused. "My Lord, do we know each other?"

Then she realized what she had done and looked to the ground ashamedly. "I am Sorry, your grace, but I do not remember. I am Noriko, daughter of nobody. This is my daughter Kiyi and my husband Noren. We are yours, your grace."

A bout of laughter came from behind the curtain. "I never thought I would hear you say something like that. Quite ironic really."

Ursa spoke again, while Noren seemed to be visibly sweating. Good. Scumbag abducted ad amnesiac woman without telling her where she came from and married her. He was a rapist and Mai looked forward to his execution, even if the victim had been Ursa.

"Your grace, you seem to know me far better than I myself do. Would you share my past with me?"

"Don't worry", said Azula. "I will. But first let me greet your family."

She stood up, still hidden behind the flames and addressed Ursa's husband. "You are Ikem, son of Karo, as Mai tells me."

That earned him strange looks from his family, especially Kiyi, who seemed confused.

"I...", he began, seemingly steeling himself. "I am not, my Lord. But I am Noren, a simple farmer in the Earth Kingdom. I had another name, long ago, though it seems to be lost in the fog."

"And you did not tell your wife", Azula asked slowly.

"He didn't", said Ursa slowly, glaring at her husband.

"It was to dangerous", he said. "Ozai hated me, but if he had known that she was with me he would have hunted us towards the end of the Earth."

"Do not", hissed Azula. "Speak of the former Fire Lord with such disrespect."

Ursa had turned around towards her husband, fury and confusion on her face. Azula chose to ignore the breach of protocol and let her speak. "The former Fire Lord? What does he has to do with it? Who am I?", she hugged Kiyi to herself, who seemed unusually silent

"Very well", said Azula, interrupting Noren's attempts to speak in a booming voice. "No more secrets!" The wall of flame came down and Azula stood before the burning throne, her drake sleeping behind her and her face glowing blue from the Firelight.

Kiyi gasped. "You look like me", she exclaimed, left her mothers grip and stood in front of Azula, who had left the throne to stand on even ground with the others, an invitation to stand, which only Kiyi and Mai took her up on.

"Indeed I do, little sister", said Azula. "I welcome you, Ursa, daughter of Rina, Roku's daughter. It's been a long time, mother. I have imagined our reunion in a lot of gory details, but your amnesia presents me with a dilemma."

Kiyi took a step back as she heard the malice in Azula's voice.

Ursa gripped her head and whispered softly: "Azula. I remember your face."

She stood up, but Noren held her back. "Please, my Lord. She wanted to forget, she took the spirit's water of her own free will because the past caused her to much pain."

"Is that so?", said Azula, while Ursa gripped her head even harder, whimpering in pain.

"Mommy", cried Kiyi alarmed, but Mai took a hold of her and held her back.

"You took the cowards way out, Ursa and didn't even have the decency to kill yourself? And you, Ikem? What did you offer the Facestealer for your new face?"

Azula's dragon had risen behind her, neck coiled like a snake to strike, smoke rising from his nostrils. Ursa stopped gripping her head and her eyes were blazing the burning gold of her own line, the line of Roku, which was as dragonblooded as Sozin's was, if not as old and noble. Azula was of the same line and that was one of the reasons, why her dragonblood burned so strong.

"Hello mother", said Azula again. "I see you are yourself again."

"I am", said Ursa. "What happened to you, Azula?"

Azula threw her head back and laughed. "What did you expect? You were gone for years, mother, gallivanting with the common rabble and playing the good wife, while your Nation remained at war.

Our positions are reversed mother and finally I can judge you for your crimes."

"What crimes?", growled Noren. "She hasn't done anything wrong, except hiding from her murderous husband."

"This is the second time you speak bad of my father", whispered Azula. "Do it again and I will cut your tongue out."

"Please don't fight!", screamed Kiyi, still struggling in Mai's grip. "We are family, why are you fighting."

"You daughter seems to hold a lot of loyalty to you, Ursa", said Azula. "You are seemingly able to raise a daughter without making her hate you. Who would have thought?"

"You were different", said Ursa. "You were a cruel child, you liked to see other suffer. I couldn't help you and I am sorry for that. I failed you, Azula. I didn't try hard enough to help you."

"You still don't understand. Cruelty is a trait that is found often in the main line of Sozin, it made some of us so formidable warriors. You were just incapable of loving a daughter that didn't meet your expectations." She glanced at Kiyi. "It seems my replacement is pulling her weight."

"That's not what happened", said Ursa. "I needed to run, after your father forced me to kill Azulon. I found Ikem again"; she smiled at her husband, "With his new face and we fell in love again. I just wanted to be happy and so I gave up my memories as payment for the spirit that gave Ikem his new face."

Kiyi went limp in Mai's arms. "Mommy?", she asked. "You killed someone? What does that mean?"

"It means...", said Azula. "That your mother abandoned her children to a cruel and brutal man. She couldn't live with the guilt so as an opportunity arose to get rid of us she did it without hesitation. Is that about right?"

"It wasn't so simple", Ursa muttered, her pain showing on her face.

"It seems that it was for you", said Azula. "I wanted to kill you, Ursa, for years and years I wanted to kill you." She glanced at Kiyi. "But I cannot in good confidence rob another child of her mother. For Kiyi you get to live."

"Azula", Ursa said. "I only wanted what was best for you. I feared that you would lose yourself to the dragon's madness."

"And in doing so you only hastened the process. You gave up the chance to be my mother years ago. Now you are just a traitor I will have to judge."

Ursa made to protest, but Azula cut her off.

"Enough! I tire of your self justification. It is as tiring as it was back then. I will now, judge your family as it is my right."

Her sharp golden gaze locked onto Mai. "Mai of House Taijin. You were never banished. You had been sent on a secret mission by your Fire Lord, one that you returned successfully from. The rumors of your death were just a cover for your mission. Rise and take your old place, my friend."

Mai really tried not to cry, but still tears leaked out of her eyes, as she let go of Kiyi and slowly approached Azula, who kissed her on the forehead. "Welcome back, old friend", she said and Mai closed her eyes. "I'm home", she whispered and took her seat to Azula's right.

"Furthermore", said Azula. "For services rendered I name you chancellor of the Fire Nation, as the head of my council."  
"It is an honor", said Mai.

"So this is your reward for ratting us out?", spat Noren. "A fancy title and a kiss from the Fire Lord. You are truly a noble assassin, nothing more." Mai didn't even hear him, to absorbed in her own thoughts.

"Ikem, son of Karo", said Azula loud and glared at him. "After Ursa told the story of her voluntary memory loss the charges of kidnapping and rape can be dropped I think. But you still admitted to consorting with the faceless one, even dealing with him in souls and memories. This is heresy in all religions, blessed by fire."

He snorted. "That is what you want to convict me of? I was broken, my love stolen from me and I didn't want to be me anymore."

"What price did you pay?"

"Ursa's memories, she wanted to lose anyways. And...", he stared on the ground. "And what?" asked Azula. "And my Name. I am Noren, nothing else. I do not remember what I was before, just that I loved Ursa and hated Ozai. Even now I can not hear the name you call me by."

"You tremendous fool"; screeched Ursa. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to worry you."

"So I cannot judge Ikem, for he wanders the sea of fog without a body", said Azula. "Noren stand before me, the empty hull of a man, who signed away his life. Hear my judgment. As you are tainted by by the faceless one and without a name, you are an empty soul, a vessel a malicious spirit can easily possess. You will be confined in a monastery of the great dragons, where the nuns will try to fill your empty vessel with the light of Fire."

"What does that mean?", asked Kiyi, still crying.

"Names are powerful seals", sighed Ursa. "They keep our souls in our bodies and keep malicious spirits out. Your father does not posses a name anymore, so his soul is in danger. The Fire Lord tries to help him." She bowed. "Thank you, Azula. For you to show such mercy..:"

"I am sure you always expected the worst of me, Ursa. Spare me your thanks. You are next."

Ursa bowed her head and just nodded.

"You are more difficult to judge justly, mostly because I hate you and your crimes are far graver. You killed Fire Lord Azulon, betrayed your Nation and us. Nothing I can convict you of without admitting far more dirty secrets than I am comfortable with. So here is what I am going to do with you. I will have the old residence of Roku's line on the Island of ashes restored. There you will live the rest of your days in exile and you will not be allowed to meddle in politics ever again or leave the island. Your daughter Kiyi will be the head of the family, to reinstate Roku's line of dragonblooded to my council. Until she comes of age I will be her regent and she will be my ward at court."

Ursa nodded. "You are merciful, Azula. Will she be allowed to visit me?"

"She will", answered Azula.

"I do not understand", said Kiyi. "What does that mean?"

"You are a noble Lady now", said Mai. "It is time for you to inherit your birthright."

Ursa hugged her daughter. "It is true. Our family is quite an important one in this Nation." She winked. "You will stay with your big sister for a while and learn from her how to be a princess. She is quite good at it."

Kiyi looked up to Azula. "I am not a princess. That's just silly."

"There is an easy way to find out", said Azula. "Ai!", she ordered and the dragon slowly rose from it's perch, his head dangling over Kiyi's intimidated form.

"Offer him your flame", said Azula.

Kiyi held her hand out and a tiny red flame danced on top of her palm.

"How did you know she was a Firebender?", asked Ursa.

"Her dragonblood sings to me", said Azula. "Ai and I can feel it calling to our souls."  
The dragon had breathed a tiny flame onto Kiyi's hand, where it was now dancing in a flurry of colours. The girl laughed with delight and the dragon growled low and content.

"You have become quite spiritual Azula."  
"There is no denying that she is dragonblooded. She is however of Roku's line, not of Sozin's. If I do not bear a legitimate heir, I may have top adopt her as my heir."

Ursa chuckled. "Who would have thought that I would return like this. We probably won't speak again, right?"

Azula shook her head. "No. I hate you still, but your daughter will not bear the price of your sins, that much I promise you."

"I never wanted that life, neither for you or for her, but I think I did a great injustice to you Azula. If my exile can quench the flames of your hatred, then so be it. Please promise me that you will be good to Kiyi."

"I promise you, that I will make her great", answered Azula. "She is of my blood after all."

Ursa nodded. "Thank you, for your mercy. I will not waste it."

"See that you don't. Now leave me. You may stay in my old quarters for the night but in the morrow you will leave for the Island of Ashes. Farewell Ursa. I don't think we will see each other again."

Ursa made to turn around but hesitated. "What happened to Zuko?", she asked.

"He is dead", answered Azula.

Ursa just nodded, tears in her eyes and left with Noren, who glared at her, and the still very confused Kiyi, holding the dragon's flame in her palm. She would be back as soon as she learned more of Zuko's demise, that much was sure. Azula however was done with her mother. She was her own person now and refused to let herself be defined by her parents anymore.

She stroked Ai's mane and slowly approached Mai, who had remained silent. "Azula I.::"; she began, but Azula shushed her. "There is no need for words anymore Mai. I was angry and foolish to cast you out in anger. Can you forgive me? If I had kept you with me, maybe Ty Lee would be still alive."  
"Don't say that", cried Mai. "We both know only to hurt each other. She was the one who opened our hearts to love." She took a deep breath. "Can you show me their graves?"

* * *

Mai kneeled in front of Zuko's grave, within the first chamber of the Dragonbone catacombs. The grace itself was beautiful, the artist had managed to make Zuko's features look far more peaceful than they had ever been in life. He even included his scar in a show of very fine craft. His urn was decorated with red dragons and great ships, while the curtain that covered his sarcophagus depicted his last failure in excruciating detail.

"Disgusting", whispered Mai, while tears prickled at the edge of her vision. Azula stepped forward to stand directly behind her. Mai looked back and noticed that her burnscar was on the same side as his, an angry red line from her eye up towards her hairline.

"What is?", she asked quietly, now directly behind Mai.  
Mai gesticulated down to the face of serenity on Zuko's sarcophagus. "This peacefulness. That isn't him. He was always angry, always passionate about something."

Azula nodded. "That he was. This serenity is unbecoming of a Firebender. I will have to replace the mason. I wouldn't want my own grave defiled like that."

Both of them fell silent again until Mai asked: "How did he die?"

"Full of hatred", answered Azula, while putting her hands on Mai's shoulders. Her hands wandered upwards towards her neck, once as pale as alabaster, now burned from the merciless sun of the Fire Nation. Slowly she caresses Mai's hair. It was filthy and tangled form the weeks on the road and had lost it's inky blackness and great length from the sun and sadness. Mai had always been lauded a great beauty, but to Azula the pain and the hardship had made Mai even more beautiful. It reminded her of better days, just the three of them and no worries.

Mai was crying now.

"And her?", she asked slowly.

Azula grabbed Mai's hand and lead her to another alcove, the one reserved for Azula herself. Ty Lee's urn was decorated with pink flowers, her likeness etched into cold marble without her usual smile, just still and peaceful.

"You really need to fire that mason", whispered Mai between her tears. She left the alcove and made her way back to Zuko's crypt, which was strangely enough far more bearable to her, than to look at Ty Lee's still face, which seemed so wrong to her. Azula followed her without a word until they had reached Zuko's crypt again. .

"Isn't it funny?", asked Azula, choking back her own tears an softly caressing Mai's neck. "If you came beck before she died, I probably wouldn't have killed you either, Mai."

"I guess she would have talked you out of it."

Azula smiled. "She always had a soft heart for her friends."

"And a frightening ability to get you to do things you didn't want to", Mai laughed, but her eyes remained sad.

"I loved her", Azula said. "I never thought I would be capable of it, but I loved her more than anything. To think that she is gone, it feels as if I lost the only thing holding me together, as if I was spiraling into a dark place, from where there is no return."

Mai looked back at Zuko's grave and Azula followed her gaze. "Did you love him too?", she asked.

Mai shook her head. "I thought I loved him, but it was only an idea that I loved. We never spent enough time together to really fall in love with each other and when he came back he was so full of hatred and I had already hardened my heart to much."

Azula just sighed. "I thought so. Still you thought you loved him enough to betray me."

"And I regret nothing more, Azula. I will accept any punishment." Mai looked her straight in the eyes, without blinking, but Azula could see her fear in the way she was shivering.

Azula sighed again. "I should kill you. You betrayed me and had the audacity to come back with my thrice damned mother and her spawn in tow." She caressed Mai's hair.

"I should kill you all, but I can't. You're all that I have left."

Slow and very awkward Azula put her arms around Mai. Both of them had never been huggers, that was Ty Lee's role and they had endured her attentions with stoic voices and faked protests , secretly loving the bubbly girls demand for affections.

To think that she was gone. The sweet little girl, the cold assassin, her best friend and the lover. Just gone forever. She leaned into Mai, who hugged her back, silent tears streaming down their faces.

"I promise you Mai, I will find Iroh and I will rip his heart out", whispered Azula. "Everything seems so unreal. My duty, my throne, it seems nothing without her."

Still crying Mai backed up a bit and held Azula's hands between hers. "Please Azula. I can't lose you too."

Azula raised an eyebrow. "Since when have I been yours to lose? What do you care?"

"You always were", cried Mai. "You were my first and greatest friend, you are the only one who ever understood what I was going through and you are my Fire Lord. There is no king I would rather follow than you."

"Not even Zuko?"

"Not even him. I love you, Azula."

Her eyes looked shocked in this moment as if she couldn't believe what she just said.

Azula leaned forward and kissed her so slowly on the lips. She tasted like cherries, with a hint of iron and ash to her lips, from the Fire she roared like the dragon she commanded. Mai had kissed Azula often, even slept with her, innocent kisses during sleepovers, passionate nights under the stars and during forbidden trysts on boring parties, but never had she been so aware of it like in this moment.

The thin robe Azula wore instead of the heavy ceremonial robes she had worn during the audience hugged her form and Mai felt her heath through the then fabric, a heath she gad missed terribly. Azula was warm, very war,. Firebenders had normally a higher body temperature than other people but Azula seemed to be always burning. Ty Lee and Mai had used that often when they were children or in the field together and Azula had accepted her role of their personal heater. She had also learned to use this heath, to excite with the promises of her warm body and Mai knew this was exactly what she was doing at the moment.

Mai broke the kiss and their eyes found each other, both seeing the same terrible loneliness and loss they themselves had experienced.

"Would you marry me, Azula?", asked Mai softly. "I am so tired of being separated, of not knowing where my loyalties lie. You are the only one I still love, so make me yours forever and I can stop doubting."

Mai looked away. She just couldn't bear to look into these golden eyes anymore, the only person she still loved and that she had betrayed so terribly. Mai didn't want to be alone anymore, didn't want to lose anymore and she never wanted to give up the warmth, to experience the terrible loneliness of loss and betrayal again. And Azula understood, for she felt the same.

"I do love you", said Azula. "But I couldn't love you as I did Ty Lee. The hole she left cannot be filled by you or anyone else."

"Nor should it be", answered Mai. "For she left the same hole in my heart." She took Azula's hand and laid it between her breasts, so that she could feel Mai's heartbeat. "I just want to make sure I never lose you."

She kissed Azula again. "We are the last ones. Let us love each other, before there is no more love to place." And again she kissed Azula. "We both were the ones with the hardened hearts of stone, who had to be showed how to love. Let's not waste the gift Ty Lee made us."

Slowly Azula reached for Mai's shoulders and Mai felt her untying her robe. As it sank to the floor Mai briefly looked away, ashamed of the dirt on her once creamy white skin, the scars and the blemishes life on the road gave her.

But Azula's kiss took her worries away and left her just wanting for more. Her fingers traced the scar above Azula's eye as her kisses wandered lower, thinking that their losses left scars on both of them. Her guilt made way for lust as she fucked her dead lovers sister in his crypt and she couldn't help but laugh in between her moans as she thought about the irony of it, at least until Azula reached her goal and she couldn't think at all anymore.

* * *

Ba Sing Se was not like other cities. Because of it's sheer size and the gigantic wall it was almost as if several cultures existed within, aware of each other but very different.

It couldn't be besieged like a normal city. It's walls were to vast, the city too big to be encircled by even the largest of armies. Additionally the defenders were Earthbenders, so they could just open the wall at any place and attack the enemy while they were distracted. It was impossible to besiege Ba Sing Se normally. The city could not be starved, for entire rings of the city were dedicated to growing food and in a dangerous situation, the nobility would just let the lower rings starve to death, to reduce the number of mouths they needed to feed.

The first time around Azula managed to take the city through treachery, but to try the same plan a second time would be folly. The defenders were wary and the Avatar was inside.

Ba Sing Se had to be besieged in a different way, that was only really possible, when the Earth Kingdom was on the brink of collapse. Iroh had tried it once, but the armies of the Earth King were still too strong and the food inside the city would have lasted for a long time. Now however Azula saw a different chance.

The Earth Kingdom was weak and refugees bolstered the ranks of the city's peasants far too much for it to sustain itself. The Avatar wouldn't allow people to just die, so Azula could use this weakness. She ordered her raiders to take everything from the refugees except their lifes, straining the city's capabilities even further.

The plague that ravaged the lower city played well into her hands, making the peasants angry against their current masters and even the Avatar couldn't save the dying people. The air was thick with the stench of the dying and the hate of the people against everything and everyone. The lower city exploded in crime that couldn't really be stopped by the occupied army without the Dai Li. The plague did it's own and soon rebellions were happening, that were either stopped by shutting of sections of the city or all of them dying of the plague soon after.

The lower rings were lawless wastelands, were few survivors scattered at the slightest sign of trouble, while the upper rings were paranoid, the people erupting into violence at the slightest hint of trouble. And people began losing faith in the Avatar and the King, who couldn't do a thing to save them. This half anarchic city-state was what Katara arrived to.

As when she entered the city through the gates a terrible stench assaulted her and she gagged, while Ming behind her covered her face with a perfumed cloth.

"What happened here?", she asked, as a few rats scattered from the intrusions.

Loud, cackling laughter let both of them turn their heads around. An old Man was sitting on a big pile of trash and laughing like mad. They didn't see him at first, because he was so dirty, that he blended in with the trash.

"The end of times", the old man cackled, "The prophecy of flames, the great unclean one. The plague has come over us to punish us for our transgressions."

Ming tried to hold her back, but Katara walked a bit closer to the crazy man. The healing waters of the moon flowed from her fingers into the man, who was riddled with disease, cleaned the blood out from his lungs. His eyes cleared and he looked up to her.

"You are the lady of healing. We thought you dead, Lady Katara."

"Rumors about my death were greatly exaggerated."

"The Avatar will be glad to have you back. Maybe not everything is lost."

Ming, who followed behind looked over the ruined city, the burning fires of violence and the dark smoke, coming from the lower quarters. She wasn't so sure.

* * *

Well nobody ever said they were good people. Azula hates Ursa but she is just so irrelevant in the greater sheme of things, that her hatred seems misplaced. She also needs an heir and legitimazing Kiyi would allow her to mould one in her own image, instead of using one of Ozai's ambitious Bastards, who may not even be truly dragonblooded.

Next time we see the grooming of Kiyi, Azula's negotiation with toph and the Avatar's side of things as Katara reaches him.


End file.
